Do you ever feel like you need to “clean up” your act before going to God? God does not require that of us, He is willing to meet us wherever we are in life. I was reminded of this while reading about King Solomon. King Solomon did not start his reign over Israel in the most stellar way through God’s eyes. He starts off by killing various people that had threatened or disrespected the throne, either previously during David’s reign or currently during his reign, 1 Kings 2. He then makes an alliance with Egypt, marrying the Pharoah’s daughter, 1 Kings 3, which was forbade by God. These acts suggest that he didn’t trust God to act on Israel’s behalf. That doesn’t mean that Solomon didn’t love God, verse 3 says “Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David”. But unfortunately, he also sacrificed to pagan gods. Solomon had a divided heart, like what many of us have today. We try to worship multiple “gods” alongside the one true God. So, when Solomon goes up to offer sacrifices at the high place of Gibeon, God comes and meets him there, even amid his brokenness. God asks him what he wants, and Solomon is humble enough to know he doesn’t have all the answers and requests wisdom, a discerning heart, verse 9. He realizes the one true God can provide what other gods cannot. God showed up in Solomon’s broken heart and showed him that He’s everything he’s looking for and needs. God provided exceedingly more than Solomon even asked for. In the end, through the world’s eyes, Solomon had everything a man could want, but ultimately, we learn that nothing is better than the nearness of God, even in the middle of our sins.

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