We Three Kings: Part 5

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:11

If you’re just joining in this week, you may want to check out Parts 1-4 of “We Three Kings”. These links will get you back to them:

Today, let’s wrap up the lessons we can learn from these three kings.

Three men called to greatness who did inspiring things. Three men who each had a flaw that led them away from God’s will at one time or another. Two fell away and did not return, separating themselves from the blessings of fellowship with God. One remained a man after God’s own heart all of his days. The primary distinction?

Love. Or a lack thereof.

You see, strong, handsome Saul never learned to love who God made him to be and his struggle with insecurity and his need to please people led him to listen to himself and to others more than he listened to God.

Wise, prosperous Solomon started out so faithfully that God chose him to build His temple, but Solomon (not unlike his father before him) had a weakness when it came to women and ultimately came to love his wives more than he loved God, leading him to worship their gods instead.

But David – steady, courageous David – loved God with all of his heart and truly believed God’s ways were right.

He wasn’t perfect by any means, but when God called him on his disobedience, he didn’t hide from God like Saul or refuse to listen to God like his son Solomon.

No, David owned up to his disobedience. His wrong-doing was covered up as far as men were concerned – he married Bathsheba so the pregnancy seemed legitimate and it was not known that he intentionally had Uriah moved where would be killed. However, David knew what he had done was wrong and he was so sorry for his sins that he described the feeling as, “my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long” (Psalm 32:3). David understood that God had all authority over all things and he quickly got his priorities straight to put God back on the throne of his heart. He confessed and repented. He couldn’t undo his sin or the consequences of it; Uriah was dead and so was David’s and Bathsheba’s infant son (2 Samuel 11-12), but he could move forward keeping God first and helping others put God first so they might not sin (Psalm 51:13).

What does any of this have to do with us today beyond the lessons we’ve already discussed in Parts 1-4?

Beloved, as a Son or a Daughter of the One True King, God has given you and me Kingdom influence. He has called us to come out from behind our baggage, to trade our insecurity for His eternal security, to place Him first and foremost in our hearts, to stop listening to those who might draw our hearts away from Him, even if it means setting boundaries on how closely we listen to or follow those we love dearly.

Dear heart, putting God first takes intention and vigilance. It takes Bible study and prayer time and worship, individual and corporate, and fellowship with Brothers and Sisters who are also seeking God first. Blessedly, God knows we’re not perfect and He doesn’t ask us to be perfect – only progressing. We don’t ever want to abuse His grace, but there is freedom in knowing we can try to do better – even if we sometimes fail – because His grace covers us. Siblings, may we be a people after God’s own heart! May we keep trying, despite our imperfection, to seek Him first! May we be quick to confess and repent when we go astray!

Father God, Your grace knows no bounds! Your instruction never runs short! Lord, I thank you for these three kings, for the example of what to do and what not to do, for the ability to apply the lessons of their lives to my walk with You. Father help me be better bonded to Your word and Your ways! Help me not hide or refuse to listen! Help me not be distracted or to place my love more greatly in any person or thing than it is in You! When I fail, help me run quickly to You! To confess and turn around and go Your way!

Andrea Lemon

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