Robyn, my wife, and I were driving home from Texas a couple days ago and encountered a lot of road construction. Orange road signs signaled there was work being done ahead, the speed limit changed and cars came to a complete stop. It was annoying and added about an hour to our trip.
When I’m reading the Bible, I love to pay particular attention to conjunctions. They’re a lot like road construction signs. It’s as if conjunctions are saying, “Hey! There’s something happening here, so slow down! Stay alert!”
In the first ten chapters of 1 Kings, we get a look at how abundantly God has blessed King Solomon with both wisdom and material wealth. There was no one on earth as wise or as wealthy as Solomon. He had everything he could have ever wanted. But when we get to 1 Kings 11:1-6, we encounter some conjunctions that should force us to slow down and take a more careful look:
King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done.
God had instructed Israel to not intermarry with foreign women. He warned them that their hearts would be turned to foreign gods. Solomon didn’t listen though. Not only did he marry foreign women–he married 700 of them. He also had another 300 concubines, which were very much like wives…for a grand total of 1,000. I mean, Solomon REALLY didn’t listen.
He knew it was wrong, but did it anyway and as he grew older, his wives turned his heart away from the one true God.
Now think about this for a moment–Solomon’s father, David, was guilty of adultery and murder and yet God was still pleased with him. Why? Because David turned from his sin. His heart remained fully devoted to God. Solomon’s heart was not fully devoted. Solomon gave his heart to foreign gods and idols. David never did.
If we were reading the story of your life today–where would the conjunctions be?
“Jack had a great job, a wonderful wife and three great kids, however, he often stayed up late after everyone went to bed so he could look at pornography on his laptop.”
“Heather knew what God said about sex before marriage, nevertheless, she regularly slept with her boyfriend.”
“God greatly blessed Tom’s business, but Tom actually gave less money to his church than a single mom supporting two kids.”
“David and Jennifer live in a house they can barely afford, because they feel pressure to keep up their friends.”
Of course, conjunctions can also signal something positive is happening in our lives:
“Alex was willing to make sacrifices now, because he knew a much greater reward was coming.”
“Susan lost her job in the latest round of layoffs, but she knows God is faithful and will meet her needs.”
Conjunction junctions are often where our circumstances and the word of God meet. When life is painful or difficult or confusing–be alert! More than likely, you’re at conjunction junction.
Your circumstances are telling you one thing, BUT God’s word says another thing.
It doesn’t look like you’ll make it, HOWEVER, God is on your side.
Maybe you’ve really blown it. You failed big time. It’s possible to go on though, BECAUSE you are covered by the love and grace of God.
Are you at a conjunction junction? Choose to make it a good one. Choose to believe God, not your circumstances. Choose to be fully devoted to Christ and not allow your heart to be drawn toward idols.