1 Kings 9:24-28: a reflection

24But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of David’s city to her house which Solomon had built for her. Then he built Millo. 25Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he built to the LORD three times per year, burning incense with them on the altar that was before the LORD. So he finished the house. 26King Solomon made a fleet of ships in Ezion Geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27Hiram sent in the fleet his servants, sailors who had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon. 28They came to Ophir, and fetched from there gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to King Solomon.

Amid the account of Solomon's reign, we are told that he offered sacrifices to the LORD three times a year at the appointed seasons, keeping up a regular, ordered worship of God. Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings three times per year on the altar he had built to the LORD, the account says, burning incense with them; so he finished the house. Solomon did not worship God only sporadically, when he happened to feel moved, but kept up a regular, ordered worship, offering sacrifices at the appointed times, three times a year, faithfully. This regular, ordered drawing near to God was a settled part of his life and reign, not a matter of occasional impulse. This shows the value of regular, ordered worship, keeping the appointed times of drawing near to God. Keep up a regular, ordered worship of God, not merely sporadic. Draw near to God at appointed times, faithfully, not only when you feel moved. Regular worship is a settled part of a faithful life, not an occasional impulse. There is value in the discipline of appointed, regular devotion.

Notice the regularity of Solomon's worship. He offered sacrifices to the LORD three times a year, at the appointed seasons, faithfully keeping these times of drawing near to God. His worship was not merely sporadic or impulsive, offered only when he happened to feel moved; it was regular and ordered, keeping the appointed times, a settled rhythm of drawing near to God woven into his life and reign. This holds a lesson about the value of regular, ordered devotion. Our worship and drawing near to God can be merely sporadic, dependent on impulse or mood: we pray, worship, or seek God only when we happen to feel like it, and neglect it when we do not. But there is real value in a regular, ordered devotion, in keeping appointed times of drawing near to God, faithfully, whether or not we feel especially moved. Such regular worship is a settled part of a faithful life, a discipline that sustains our walk with God when feeling alone would let it lapse. Feelings come and go; but a settled rhythm of regular worship keeps us drawing near to God faithfully, and often the feeling follows the faithful practice. We do well to keep up a regular, ordered worship of God, drawing near at appointed times faithfully, not merely sporadically or when we feel moved. Keep up a regular, ordered worship of God, not merely sporadic devotion. Draw near to God at appointed times faithfully, whether or not you feel moved. Regular worship is a discipline that sustains a faithful walk with God. Do not let your devotion depend only on impulse and mood.

That is worth taking to heart, for there is value in regular, ordered worship, and we do well to keep the appointed times of drawing near to God faithfully, as Solomon offered sacrifices regularly at the appointed seasons. Our devotion can be merely sporadic, dependent on mood; but Solomon kept up a regular, ordered worship, drawing near at appointed times. Keep it regular. Do not let your worship depend only on impulse; keep up a regular, ordered drawing near to God, faithful at appointed times whether or not you feel moved. Keep up a regular, ordered worship of God, drawing near at appointed times faithfully rather than merely sporadically or only when you feel moved, as amid the account of Solomon's reign we are told he offered sacrifices to the LORD three times a year at the appointed seasons, keeping up a regular, ordered worship, offering burnt offerings and peace offerings three times per year and burning incense; for Solomon did not worship God only sporadically when he happened to feel moved but kept up a regular, ordered worship at the appointed times faithfully, this regular drawing near to God being a settled part of his life and reign and not a matter of occasional impulse, which holds a lesson about the value of regular, ordered devotion, since our worship and drawing near to God can be merely sporadic and dependent on impulse or mood so that we seek God only when we feel like it and neglect it when we do not, but there is real value in a regular, ordered devotion and in keeping appointed times of drawing near to God faithfully whether or not we feel especially moved, such regular worship being a settled part of a faithful life and a discipline that sustains our walk with God when feeling alone would let it lapse, since feelings come and go but a settled rhythm of regular worship keeps us drawing near to God faithfully and often the feeling follows the faithful practice, so that we do well to keep up a regular, ordered worship of God.

Lord, amid the account of Solomon's reign, I am told that he offered sacrifices to you three times a year at the appointed seasons, keeping up a regular, ordered worship. Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings three times per year on the altar he had built to the LORD, the account says, burning incense with them; so he finished the house. Solomon did not worship you only sporadically, when he happened to feel moved, but kept up a regular, ordered worship, offering sacrifices at the appointed times, three times a year, faithfully. This regular drawing near to you was a settled part of his life and reign, not a matter of occasional impulse. Show me the regularity of Solomon's worship. He offered sacrifices to you three times a year, at the appointed seasons, faithfully keeping these times of drawing near to you. His worship was not merely sporadic or impulsive, offered only when he happened to feel moved; it was regular and ordered, a settled rhythm of drawing near to you woven into his life. This holds a lesson about the value of regular, ordered devotion. My worship and drawing near to you can be merely sporadic, dependent on impulse or mood: I pray, worship, or seek you only when I happen to feel like it, and neglect it when I do not. But there is real value in a regular, ordered devotion, in keeping appointed times of drawing near to you, faithfully, whether or not I feel especially moved. Such regular worship is a settled part of a faithful life, a discipline that sustains my walk with you when feeling alone would let it lapse. Feelings come and go; but a settled rhythm of regular worship keeps me drawing near to you faithfully, and often the feeling follows the faithful practice. Take that to my heart. Keep me from letting my devotion depend only on impulse and mood; help me keep up a regular, ordered worship of you, Lord, drawing near at appointed times faithfully, whether or not I feel moved, that regular worship may sustain my faithful walk with you.