His Ways

 DEVOTION

1^ST KINGS

HIS WAYS

1 Kings 2:1-4

2:1 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

2 "I am about to go the way of all the earth," he said. "So be strong, show yourself a man, 3 and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, 4 and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: 'If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.'

NIV

King David has a few more words to say to his son Solomon before he rests with his forefathers, but we have quite a lot here in this first portion of the charge David gave to Solomon. First, he tells him, and we will also take that charge on a personal level, to be strong and show ourselves as men, not as children doing childish things. Of course, we are children of God, and we have been told that unless we change and become like a child, that is, having unbridled, unabashed faith, we will not see the kingdom of God. But that is different from being strong, rather than being weak, yielding to every temptation that he presents before us. Being strong is also different than when we are weak, but He is strong, for that is about putting our trust in Him rather than in ourselves. Being strong is included within the Hebrew as being courageous, that is, living with courageous endurance, as a person of God. David also said to observe what the Lord our God requires, the first is to walk in his ways. For Solomon, that included keeping the decrees and commands, the laws and requirements as written in the Law of Moses. For us, we are also to observe what our Lord God Almighty requires, which includes walking in his ways. Of course, we are no longer subject to the Law of Moses as Jesus fulfilled the law for us, and as we are in Christ, the law does not bind us. However, we have been given a new covenant and told the two greatest commands. Yet, as we study all the requirements of walking in his ways, such as getting rid of various attitudes and behaviors, and taking on certain attitudes, such as the Beatitudes, as well as many more. This means that we should put away our ways to walk in his ways, for his ways are not our ways, and our ways are not his ways. The bottom line is, who do we consider as having the perfect ways, us or God? Of course, we would have to admit his ways are the perfect ways, and thus our ways are the imperfect ways. The choice should be clear. We are to be strong, show ourselves as mature believers, and observe, or keep in step with his perfect ways.