To Love Him Alone
Solomon, whose heart was so devoted to God at the beginning of his Kingship that he sought His wisdom, gave his heart over to lust by the end of his life. It seems he took on any woman he felt like having with 700 wives and 300 concubines. He found keeping that many women happy required him to give them things they wanted. And what many of them wanted was his help in their worship of the pagan gods the Lord God specifically told him to stay away from.
In yesterday’s first reading (1 Kings 11:4-13), we learn that Solomon, who had built a glorious temple filled with beautiful things for the Lord, then built many more temples to other gods and worshiped at those too.
But the first commandment, still enjoined upon us today, is to worship the Lord God alone. We are forbidden to mix our practice with any other.
It made me sad to think of how easily our hearts can be turned from God through our vices. Solomon didn’t start out wanting to commit idolatry. But he got there through something smaller that became bigger and bigger.
It makes me consider the sins we commit that we don’t think are too bad. They don’t seem bad now, but will they grow if left unchecked? I sat in front of a huge image of Jesus during my prayer time at church and wondered about the things I would be tempted to love more than Him in a moment of weakness. We can be turned so easily by money, status, comfort, food, lust, the desire for people's respect, material goods and more. It makes me glad for the gift of frequent confession to keep tabs on what we know we struggle with.
Purity of heart is not an easy thing. I pray the Lord will give me the grace to choose Him alone.
Exodus 20:2-3 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall not have other gods beside me.