1 Kings 7:1-12: a reflection

1Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house. 2For he built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was one hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits, on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. 3It was covered with cedar above over the forty-five beams that were on the pillars, fifteen in a row. 4There were beams in three rows, and window was facing window in three ranks. 5All the doors and posts were made square with beams; and window was facing window in three ranks. 6He made the hall of pillars. Its length was fifty cubits and its width thirty cubits, with a porch before them, and pillars and a threshold before them. 7He made the porch of the throne where he was to judge, even the porch of judgment; and it was covered with cedar from floor to floor. 8His house where he was to dwell, the other court within the porch, was of the same construction. He made also a house for Pharaoh’s daughter (whom Solomon had taken as wife), like this porch. 9All these were of costly stones, even of stone cut according to measure, sawed with saws, inside and outside, even from the foundation to the coping, and so on the outside to the great court. 10The foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits and stones of eight cubits. 11Above were costly stones, even cut stone, according to measure, and cedar wood. 12The great court around had three courses of cut stone with a course of cedar beams, like the inner court of the LORD’s house and the porch of the house.

The account notes, almost in passing, that Solomon spent thirteen years building his own house, nearly twice as long as the seven he spent on the house of the LORD, a quiet prompt to consider how we allot our time and resources between our own comfort and God's things. Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house, the account says. Solomon had built the temple, the house of the LORD, in seven years; his own house he built in thirteen, lavishing on it costly stones, cedar, and grand halls. The account states it plainly, without comment; but the contrast is striking: nearly twice as long, and much lavished, on his own dwelling as on God's house. It prompts a question about how we allot our devotion between our own comfort and God's things. This shows a prompt to consider how we allot time and resources between our own comfort and God's things. Consider how you allot your time and resources between your own comfort and God's things. Beware lavishing much on yourself while stinting on God. The proportions of our devotion reveal where our heart truly lies. Weigh how much you give to your own comfort against what you give to God.

Notice the quiet contrast the account draws. Solomon built the house of the LORD, a great and worthy work, in seven years. But his own house he built in thirteen, nearly twice as long, and lavished great expense on it: costly stones, cedar, grand halls and courts. The account does not moralize; it simply states the facts. But the contrast invites reflection. Solomon gave much to God's house, but he gave still more, in time and expense, to his own. This gently prompts a question worth asking of ourselves. How do we allot our time, our resources, our energy, our devotion, between our own comfort and God's things? It is easy, and natural, to lavish much on ourselves, our own comfort, our own houses and pursuits, while giving God comparatively little, a smaller portion of our time, resources, and attention. The proportions of our devotion, how much we give to our own comfort compared to what we give to God, quietly reveal where our heart truly lies. This is not a call to neglect our own needs, but a prompt to weigh honestly how we allot our devotion, and to beware lavishing much on ourselves while stinting on God. We do well to consider honestly how we allot our time and resources between our own comfort and God's things, and to give God more than a leftover portion. Consider honestly how you allot your time and resources between your comfort and God's things. Beware lavishing much on yourself while giving God only a small portion. The proportions of your devotion quietly reveal where your heart lies. Give God more than the leftover of your time, resources, and attention.

That is worth taking to heart, for how we allot our time and resources between our own comfort and God's things reveals where our heart lies, and we do well to weigh it honestly, as Solomon spent longer on his own house than on God's. We can lavish much on our own comfort while stinting on God; but the contrast of Solomon's thirteen years and seven quietly prompts reflection. Weigh your devotion. Consider how you allot your time and resources between your own comfort and God's things, and beware giving God only a small portion while lavishing much on yourself. Consider honestly how you allot your time and resources between your own comfort and God's things, beware lavishing much on yourself while stinting on God, and give God more than a leftover portion, as the account notes almost in passing that Solomon spent thirteen years building his own house, nearly twice as long as the seven he spent on the house of the LORD, a quiet prompt to consider how we allot our devotion; for Solomon had built the temple in seven years but his own house in thirteen, lavishing on it costly stones, cedar, and grand halls, and the account states it plainly without comment, but the contrast is striking, nearly twice as long and much lavished on his own dwelling as on God's house, prompting a question about how we allot our devotion between our own comfort and God's things, since it is easy and natural to lavish much on ourselves, our own comfort and houses and pursuits, while giving God comparatively little, a smaller portion of our time, resources, and attention, and the proportions of our devotion quietly reveal where our heart truly lies, which is not a call to neglect our own needs but a prompt to weigh honestly how we allot our devotion and to beware lavishing much on ourselves while stinting on God, so that we do well to consider honestly how we allot our time and resources between our own comfort and God's things and to give God more than a leftover portion.

Lord, the account notes, almost in passing, that Solomon spent thirteen years building his own house, nearly twice as long as the seven he spent on the house of the LORD, a quiet prompt to consider how I allot my time and resources between my own comfort and your things. Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house, the account says. He had built the temple, your house, in seven years; his own house he built in thirteen, lavishing on it costly stones, cedar, and grand halls. The account states it plainly, without comment; but the contrast is striking: nearly twice as long, and much lavished, on his own dwelling as on your house. Show me the quiet contrast the account draws. Solomon built your house, a great and worthy work, in seven years. But his own house he built in thirteen, nearly twice as long, and lavished great expense on it. The account does not moralize; it simply states the facts. But the contrast invites reflection. Solomon gave much to your house, but he gave still more, in time and expense, to his own. This gently prompts a question worth asking of myself. How do I allot my time, my resources, my energy, my devotion, between my own comfort and your things? It is easy, and natural, to lavish much on myself, my own comfort, my own pursuits, while giving you comparatively little, a smaller portion of my time, resources, and attention. The proportions of my devotion quietly reveal where my heart truly lies. This is not a call to neglect my own needs, but a prompt to weigh honestly how I allot my devotion, and to beware lavishing much on myself while stinting on you. Take that to my heart. Help me consider honestly, Lord, how I allot my time and resources between my own comfort and your things; keep me from lavishing much on myself while giving you only a small, leftover portion, and help me give you more than the leftover of my time, resources, and attention, that the proportions of my devotion may show that my heart is truly yours.