“So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God, just as he had instructed my father, David. For the Lord told him, ‘Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor my name.’”
1 Kings 5:5 NLT
Just as it was important for Solomon to ask God for the right things, it was equally important that he did the right things with it. As one of the first tasks, Solomon goes about formalizing and finishing things of the past that couldn’t be fulfilled in his father’s reign, but that were important and good. Just as he deals at justice to the enemies of his father who would become his enemies, he now honors the friendships of his father as well. This includes his father’s earthly friendships as well as his father’s relationship with God. Many who come into leadership are very eager to leave their own mark upon history. They do everything they can to separate and distance themselves from the old regime. But wisdom shows itself to be leaning into a godly legacy. This means strengthening what came before. Solomon doesn’t blame his father for what couldn’t be done during his reign, but instead continues it, finishes it and sets it up for future success. We should consider his example.
JOSH McGARY. COM 