Intentions

I really intend to start that exercise program very soon. I intend to come for a visit real soon. I intend start my diet next week. Intentions really mean well but without the “follow-through”, they are just thoughts or words with little meaning. I remember someone telling me years ago that “the road to hell was paved with good intentions.”

As I read the story of Solomon building the temple this morning, I realized that he started his reign as king in a really strong way. The Lord offered him anything he wanted and Solomon asked for wisdom and discernment. The Lord poured out not only wisdom and discernment, but also riches beyond his wildest dreams as well. Solomon became the builder of The Lord’s Temple. David had dreams and intentions, but the Lord wanted David’s successor to build the temple. As I was reading this morning, there were a couple of verses among all the descriptive items of construction that jumped out. Check this out…

11 The word of the Lord came to Solomon: 12 “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father. 13 And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.”

14 So Solomon built the temple and completed it. (1 Kings 6:11-14 NIV)

I do believe that he had really good intentions as he was building the temple. He was walking with the Lord. He becomes known as the wisest man to ever live. The fact that I know how his life goes further down the road sort of skews my thinking right now. I realize that Solomon fully intends to walk with the Lord and follow Him fully until the day he dies. This is not how the story ends. Solomon does stray from following the Lord. He marries women of other cultures whose religious beliefs are in direct conflict with him following Jehovah God.

This passage created a sobering thought to me. I don’t want to just follow the Lord for a season of my life. I want to follow Him the entire rest of my life. I don’t want to just trust Him when things are good; I want to trust Him when everything is a wreck as well. I want to keep seeking His heart. As I typed these words, I realized that this is my intention. I intend to follow the Lord fully all the rest of my days. I don’t want to be enticed away by hollow promises or “fake feelings” – I intend to keep seeking and keep pursuing God’s heart.

He inspires my intention to follow Him.

He empowers my intention to follow Him.

He doesn’t operate in the world of intentions – He keeps every promise. My actions reveal what my intentions were in the first place.

Pressing On!

Dwayne