“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5
“The Lord appeared to Solomon a second time,.. and said, ‘I have heard your prayer and your plea. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. And as for you, if you will walk before me,.. with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you,.. then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised…’”
“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: women from the nations concerning which the Lord had said, ‘You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.’ Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon… did not wholly follow the Lord…
“And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away…
“And [Ahijah] said to Jeroboam,.. ‘Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from Solomon… because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth.., Chemosh.., and Milcom.., and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right.'” 1 Kings 9:2-5; 11:1-6,9,31b-33
The King and Israel knew the Lord’s decree: Love Me first and most, and alone. Solomon loved the Lord, but he also loved women. And those many women turned his love awry. Divided love is tainted love. There is no whole heart and soul and might when affection is shared with other gods. Entertaining no restraint nor exercising remorse, Solomon would precipitate, and future generations would suffer, the consequences of a divided heart.
God will not be mocked. He is a jealous God who demands complete allegiance and love knowing that is the way to fullness in Christ, a fulfilled personality, and His radiant glory. In kindness He warns, then works to check strange allure to foreigners and bring repentance in order to restore our relationship with Him. He allows consequences to teach us and those observing the folly of turning from Him. Holy and gracious is He! (Exodus 20:5; Romans 2:4; Galatians 6:7)
What goddesses and abominations of heart or mind am I entertaining? What worldly sweets and trinkets tempt my affection from the Lord? From what foreign lands of fame, ease, self-importance, self-indulgence, or immorality am I sharing allegiance with the Lord? How will I correct my priorities? (Revelation 2:4-5)
Where do I focus my desire each morning and spend my love each day? What will I do to align all my desire with the will of God? As we determine to love the Lord first, He fulfills every errant longing as our all in all.
Lord, purify me from all foreign affection, and give me an undivided heart for You, that Your covenant love is manifested, desired, and honored. (Psalm 86:11)
As the rain and snow 