Love God, Love Others, Serve the World...

2 Chronicles 6:1 Then Solomon prayed, "O LORD, you have said that you would live in thick darkness. 2 But I have built a glorious Temple for you, where you can live forever!" 3 Then the king turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing: 4 "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father, David. For he told my father, 5 'From the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among the tribes of Israel as the place where a temple should be built to honor my name. Nor have I chosen a king to lead my people Israel. 6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as that city, and David as that king.'" 7 Then Solomon said, "My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 8 But the LORD told him, 'It is right for you to want to build the Temple to honor my name, 9 but you will not be the one to do it. One of your sons will build it instead.' 10 "And now the LORD has done what he promised, for I have become king in my father's place. I have built this Temple to honor the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 11 There I have placed the Ark, and in the Ark is the covenant that the LORD made with the people of Israel."

“The Lord has fulfilled the promise He made, for I have become king in my father’s place, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised (v.10).”

Ever made a promise you didn’t keep? Yeah, me too. It makes me wince to think of my broken promises over the years. The shame comes from the realization that I had given my word to do something for someone and then backpedaled upon further review of what my vow would require of me. Ouch.

We’re all guilty of being “promises, promises” kind of people. But God is the One we can count on to come through. When He makes a promise, He keeps it. Just ask Solomon. He praised God for His faithful keeping of His promises to see the temple built in Jerusalem and for David, Solomon’s father, to sit on the throne (2 Chronicles 6:6). Both of those things became a reality—David sat on the throne in Jerusalem, followed by Solomon, and the temple was built “just as the Lord promised” (v.10).

Solomon exhibited the appropriate response to God for fulfilling His promises—he praised Him. The king declared to all his people, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise He made” (v.4). God is worthy of our praise, for He has done great things. As we read in His Word of His awesome works and all the promises He has kept, our hearts and minds should be filled with wonder and praise!

To whom did Solomon declare God’s praises? To the entire community of Israel (v.3). When we praise God to others, telling what He has done, they can also experience the reality of our great Promise Keeper.

Today, consider the promises God has fulfilled in the past and the promises that He will fulfill in the future. Choose to live out these words: “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises” (Psalm 34:1).