Scripture for the Day
(January 26, 2021)
And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern
between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. (1 Kings 3:7-10)
(By Ed Henderson 2017
I recently heard a great teaching by Pastor Robert Morris concerning this famous prayer of Solomon. Most people are familiar with this prayer and remember that God made Solomon the wisest King ever because Solomon did not ask God for long life or riches but rather asked for an understanding heart to judge the people. However, there was another statement made by Solomon in that same prayer that is very interesting and often overlooked. Solomon said he was just a child and he did not know how to go out or come in like his father David. What was he talking about? If you research that phrase (to go out and to come in) throughout the Old Testament you will find it is a military term.
As yet I (Caleb) am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now for war, both to go out and to come in. (Joshua 14:11)
Solomon’s father David was a warrior and he knew how to go out to battle, with God by his side, but he was also a worshipper of God and he knew how to come in to get refreshed and praise God.
Things have not changed in thousands of years. We are in the Army of God and it is still important for us to know how to go out and how to come in. Some people think that they go to church on Sunday to visit God. The Kingdom of God is not in the church. It’s in you! Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:21) He goes where you go. He is not restricted to the four walls of a church. However, it is very important to come in. We need to be re-filled. We leak. We need to be re-charged. You cannot just constantly give out and not have a place you can take back in. Even a car has to be refueled. That is what the Church is supposed to be all about. We are to edify and build each other up. God said, Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. (Deuteronomy 28:6)
You need His blessing and anointing as you walk through the battles of this crazy world. You need His presence to be an effective warrior and witness. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. (Luke 14:23) There will be a time when we don’t go out anymore. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation 3:12)
