What a thought!

A few years ago my family was going through some tough times. In true Gordon style, we dug a bit deeper to hold to hope, love and our family's legacy of faith. My mom and 5 aunts decided to start reading the bible together. They all purchased the same version of a read-the-bible-in-one-year-bible. They found strength in their reading and that they wanted to share the things that stuck out to them with each reading with each other.

Over the years they've added more people to read along with a weekly sharer. It has become an email I look forward to. Below is this week's Thought of the Week. I make no personal claims to righteousness or holy perfection. I do try to conduct myself with honor and keep a song in my heart. I have thought about this concept a bit in the past couple months, hence my posting it. Without further ado...



For the sake of the Righteous...

The Gordon Sisters:
 (Left to right) Mom (Karen), Karla, Krystal, Kelly and Kathy

"God was furious! He was angry at Solomon for breaking His holy laws. He had appeared to him in a very supernatural way. Not once - but two times! God had specifically warned Solomon about worshipping other gods. But he ignored those warnings and chose to do "his own thing". What a sad state of affairs. Solomon was truly one of the most magnificent rulers of possibly the most magnificent kingdom that ever existed on the earth!

Judgment was coming. God told Solomon, "I'm going to tear the kingdom out of your hand and give it to one of your servants!" God was ready to mete out the judgment right then and there! But wait - He remembered something. He remembered the faithfulness of his servant, David. God told Solomon, "Judgment is coming. But I won't do it in your day. It will come during your son's reign."

What was God's reason for the delay? It was for the sake of David, Solomon's father. On his own merit, Solomon did deserve the judgement of the Lord. But his judgment was seen by God through the "rose-colored" glasses of David's righteousness.

...for the sake of the righteous. What a powerful thought. You and I have the ability, through our righteous living, to affect all of those around us. Our children, our families, our co-workers, and our neighbors are affected by our lives. If we live righteously before the Lord, His blessings follow us. And the overflow of that righteous living spills over on those close to us. The Word of the Lord mentions that an unsaved husband is "sanctified" by the believing wife. That doesn't mean he is saved. But it does mean that he's blessed because he's living with a righteous woman. The blessings that the Lord is going to show that faithful, righteous wife will benefit him as well!

What a responsibility that places on each of us. I really, really want to walk in a pleasing manner before the Lord. That way my children, grandchildren, friends, customers, etc. can hear the Lord say, "You deserve judgement, but for the sake of my servant, Karla, I'm not going to do it right now." I've prayed that prayer before. "Lord, please remember me. And for your handmaiden's sake, do this and this..."

It's so tragic that Solomon didn't think of living his life in such a way that would keep his children under God's protection. The divine blessing and protection of the Lord ended when Solomon deliberately broke God's laws. And his children were the recipients of God's judgment.

Just like Abraham pleading for Sodom, we can plead for the ones in our lives. God was willing to halt all judgment because of Abraham's plea for any righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah. God was willing to do what his righteous servant was asking for.

When speaking about Solomon's judgement, God spoke these words in Kings 11:13, "...I will not take away the entire kingdom; I will let him be king of one tribe, for the sake of my servant, David..."

My prayer is that God will see my life, my example, (and hopefully) my righteous living, and say the same thing about me. For the sake of my righteous servant, Karla...

Love you all!!"