“Time can’t be bought. It can only be spent.” ~ It’s Good to Be Queen
If you’re asking, “What happened to October?!” I’m right there with you, beloved. I was late to the gate with every week’s post (sigh), and may never catch up on emails.
How about for the next 3 minutes we put aside our to-do lists, our didn’t-get-it-done lists, our ain’t-gonna-happen-anytime-soon lists, and focus on that glorious day when our earthly work is done and the joy of heaven awaits us.
Best. Day. Ever. That’s a promise.
Chapter Ten: It’s Good to End Well
After a major gift exchange, the queen of Sheba’s visit with King Solomon came to a happy close. No tears or gnashing of teeth or sobbing into her silk hankie. Sheba simply went home.
Then she left
and returned with her retinue
to her own country.
1 Kings 10:13
The real happy ending? Sheba departed Jerusalem a changed woman! Not because she’d met the wisest man on earth, but because she’d met the one true God.
Even more amazing, Solomon had prayed for that very thing to happen, back when he dedicated the temple (1 Kings 8:41-43).
Solomon didn’t name Sheba, but he certainly described her—a “foreigner” who came “from a distant land because of Your name”—praying that all the peoples of the earth would come to know the Lord’s name and fear Him.
Oh, Solomon. What a man of God you were! But, “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God” (1 Kings 11:4). Groan.
Let’s make a vow right now that we’re not going to follow in Solomon’s footsteps. No way. Year by year, we’ll turn our hearts even more in His direction and be fully devoted to the Lord our God. Yes?
That’s what Sheba did. We can too. For all who believe in the saving grace of God, the finish of one life is merely the start of another. Rather than our lives ending, we simply step into a new realm. Thrilling, isn’t it? I’d love to hang around for another decade or two, but I know what’s next is truly The Best.
For now, I’ll wind things up answering one of our Study Guide questions, then it’s your turn, my friend. How I’ve loved exploring the queen of Sheba’s story with you!
From the Study Guide
1. a. Solomon didn’t know Sheba would someday appear in Jerusalem. But God knew. In what ways do stories like this help you grasp the sovereignty of God?
When I look at all the ways God was at work in Sheba’s life—wooing her north to Jerusalem with the promise of wisdom, giving her the courage to ask every question on her heart, revealing Himself through His servant, Solomon, prompting her praises when she acknowledged Him as God—I am even more convinced that God is at work in my life too.
The books I read, the people I meet, the experiences I have, are all part of a grand plan that I can’t begin to fathom yet joyfully embrace. God never makes a mistake, never misleads, never lets go. He is sovereign over everything, which for this take-charge chick is a huge relief!
Thank you, Lord, for showing us again and again in Your Word how much You love Your children. You see what we cannot see. You reveal what we would never discover on our own. You guide us along the path You’ve chosen for us. You bless all who praise Your name.
Now, it’s your turn
When you come to the end of your days, what will you be glad you invested your life in? Please post your comments below. I treasure each one!
Your grateful sister, Liz
@LizCurtisHiggs
P.S. You’ll find my video teaching for Chapter 10 on Vimeo, and here’s this week’s wallpaper for your smart phone or tablet (don’t you love sunflowers?). Next week we’ll begin celebrating A Season of Joy! Watch for my special holiday Bible study in your inbox each Wednesday thru December 30, with weekly giveaways (yay!).
