I am reading through 1 Kings in my quiet times at the moment.
In chapter 8, from verse 22, is Solomon's prayer of dedication where he praises God, reminds Him of His promise to Solomon's father, David, and his supplication that God would hear and respond to the prayers made by His people. Solomon recognises God's person, His goodness and how much he owes to and depends on God.
Solomon's sacrifice to God, in thanks for His abundant goodness is AMAZING and EXTRAVAGANT!
He sacrifices 22,000 cattle, 120,000 sheep and goats! Extravagant. Utterly extravagant.
Back in 1 Kings 4:23 we read that Solomon's daily provision is 30 cattle and 100 sheep and goats. Over a year, this is 36,500 cattle and 10,950 sheep and goats. THAT'S some sacrifice way over and above. But also a tribute of thanks to God. This is Solomon's recognition of God's abundant blessing to him. No HINT of hesitation. No questioning, 'How will we feed our people/replace these animals?' but with unspoken expectation that NOTHING they give to God is too much because they know He will always provide.
Do I hold God in that high esteem by my attitude to Him, by my expectations of Him in my prayers or by how loosely I hold all that He gives to me each day? Does the giving of my time, money and whole life reflect that I love and trust my God with my whole being? How can I dare not to tell people of this God who loves with an unsearchable love and whose richness in every way, would blow our minds completely if we even began to understand and grasp it?
Father God, I can never repay You. I can never outgive You. But You want me to know the exhilaration of the adventure of trying. Ohhhhhh - it's scary.
As I wonder how it would be to consider THIS field, I have a picture of a parachutist jumping out of a plane. Down below the fields look so tiny. But the more he gets into the adventure, the nearer he gets to the ground, the field enlarges and enlarges until he is in it and being in it, standing right there in the middle, he can't even see the boundaries of that field.
The closer we get to Him, the more awesome and boundless He is
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