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intellecto | intellect

The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon

    ¹ When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. ² Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her. ³ When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, ⁴ the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes and the burnt offerings he made at ^[f] the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.

    ⁵ She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. ⁶But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. ⁷ How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! ⁸ Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne as king to rule for the LORD your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.” 2 Chron 9:1-8

I love the line in the old hymn:

“Take my intellect and use every power as you choose.”

It is a running joke between me and God that He may not want to capitalize on my intellect . We’ll leave that up to the extra-smart ones (like Solomon) that He has made! However, I do want to worship God with the intellect that He has given me. Tonight, I am asking Him to show me the areas I haven’t given to him. I just had a conversation with a friend that has left me feeling a bit….small.

Maybe I have some arrogance and a haughty spirit at times…. I don’t want it! I need to get rid of it! So tonight, I am reminded of the blessed verse, “If I boast, let it be in Christ alone.” God faithfully reminds me of it. The love of God is such a powerful thing. It confounds the strong. It mystifies the brightest among us. I don’t think I will ever understand the depth of God’s love, but I do look forward to experiencing it.

I read a quote today that made me think about knowledge in a different way:

“Important as it is that we recognize God working in us, I would yet warn against an over preoccupation with the thought. It is a sure road to sterile passivity. God will not hold us responsible to understand the mysteries of election, predestination and the divine sovereignty. The best and safest way to deal with these truths is to raise our eyes to God and in deepest reverence say, Oh Lord Thou knowest. Those things belong to the deep and mysterious Profound of God’s omniscience. Prying into them may make theologians, but it will never make saints.”  AW Tozer

About that amazing love…I just can’t get enough of it!  It is with reverence and a deep sense of gratitude that I think about the impact of my salvation.  God has saved me from myself, my sin, and my arrogance.  My actions and thoughts would surely buy me death.  But, His mercy- in the form of Jesus Christ has stood in the way of death.  His sacrifice has covered me.  Freedom from shame, guilt, depression, aimlessness, hopelessness is gone.  I’m so thankful He gave me intellect enough to understand that!  I praise Him for finding me.  I praise Him for proving to me that I could trust Him.

 Sometimes I write silly little songs for my daughter…well at least she loves them (right now).  I hope sooooo much for her!  When she was first born, I had so many feelings and wishes for her.  I put them in a song:

Love upon love, He will lavish on thee/ Grace upon grace He will show thee

Amazing and free, He will so faithfully/Lavish His love on thee

Every day and all night, He will be with you dear/ Let His Life be your Light, you will have no fear

Amazing and free, He will so faithfully/Lavish His love on thee

You were made to bless the Lord! You were made to bless the Lord!

I can’t wait to see you respond to the King!  And to know Him- intimately

I can’t wait to see God move faithfully/He will lavish His love on thee!

 

As I read these words again…I am reminded that God intends this love for ALL people-no matter the IQ! (AWESOME)

 

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