The Peace God's Presence Provides

“And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt…and had peace on all sides…he spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five.” 
1 Kings 4:21a, 24b, and 32

Peace. We often think of it as the absence of conflict, but peace is a spiritual state of rest in God that abides completely and fully, even in the midst of conflict. The Bible illustrates that King Solomon discovered how to achieve an abundance of peace, at both the personal level and at the national level. In his early reign as the civil leader of Israel he resolved to seek the Lord’s will above his own, and acknowledge his dependency upon God. His public prayers and his private communication with God (via dreams) displayed a humble heart – a heart willing and ready to be directed by God. A heart determined to serve and honor God.    

1 Kings 4 records the ultimate blessing that accompanies a heart surrendered to God: peace. Solomon’s spirit was obviously penetrated by the considerations of God. He was so enamored with the splendor of God’s presence, and its subsequent supply of peace, that he was moved to compose songs of praise, as well as wisdom sayings (1 Kings 4:32). Clearly, when our mind is filled with the wonder of God we are more likely to find that our hands are consumed with the work of God, and our life is filled with the worship of God. 

Solomon was saturated by divine inspiration and instruction. Believers can learn so much if we are eager to apply ourselves to absorbing the holy educational values that Scripture and our Sovereign God offer. When we choose to follow the ways of God we find a better reason for living, and seek to pull away from self-centered pursuits. Fellowship with God yields a fullness and joy. The Lord is the source of hope. He is the source of peace. In short, a pure, peace-filled heart comes from a honing of the spirit, and a pruning of our mind.

Through the verses of 1 Kings 4 we find that there are numerous benefits to living a disciplined life, a life surrendered to God: principles, ethics, character, and morals. Solomon, in his youth, was a faithful follower of God. He was studious, hard-working, diligent, slow to become angry, and thoughtful toward others. He wasn't a complainer. He wasn’t hasty to make questionable business dealings. He was steadfastly content in his everyday affairs, knowing that he was ultimately striving to honor God. He was both a teacher and a servant. He saw the need for noble rule and desired not to abuse it, but, rather, to properly utilize it. 

When God's followers embrace the love of God we learn to embrace the labor of God. Such labor can be grueling and exhausting, but when we understand what it means to work as unto the Lord we see our efforts as a form of submission and worship. As a result of Solomon’s dedication to the Lord his household overflowed with productive activity. And God granted Israel peace under Solomon’s rule. And so may the peace of God continually rule our hearts, as it once ruled Solomon’s.