What Have you Applied Your Heart to?
Key Verse to Read and Treasure
I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 1:12-13, ESV)
For Insight
What have you applied your heart to? Solomon wrote that he applied his heart to seek and search out wisdom concerning all that was done under heaven. This turned out to be a lifelong work for Solomon. Are you surprised that being king and ruler, issuing judgments and deciding court cases were not enough for Solomon? Even with all he had under him his greatest activity was applying his heart to becoming more knowledgeable about the universe and earth God had made.
Solomon had a genuine interest and curiosity about how God ordered and ran the universe. He was a highly intellectual individual and geniuses are usually interested in things most of us don’t give a second thought. We enjoy the sun and marvel at the moon’s bright glow, but Solomon wondered how the sun hung in the sky and how the moon changed from one moon to the next, like clockwork. Solomon was more than just inquisitive, he was more than smitten and amazed by what God had made and put in order. He was taken with the works of God over the earth; the righteousness of God that shined through despite the wickedness of humans and evil.
What have you set your inquisitive mind on? Some people apply their heart to wickedness and the things of this world and others are more like Solomon. They cannot get enough of God, of His Word, seeking His righteousness. Like Solomon’s father, David, they seek His presence, want more of him, think about him day and night. David said, in Psalm 63; I have set my gaze on you. I long for you, I cannot get enough of you” (Psalm 63:1-8) David could not take his eyes off the Lord, he longed to be in god’s presence always.
We only have decades to be so consumed with the wonders God created, with God himself. Solomon had more than 700 years and even with all that time Solomon still didn’t and couldn’t learn all there was to know about God nor all that God had created. We don’t have 700 years to investigate the universe, but we can use our time well and be like Solomon, seeking first the kingdom of God, and God will add all other things to us.
Praying Ecclesiastes 1:12-13
Lord, may we, like king Solomon apply our heart to righteousness, setting our heart on becoming more like You, growing and glowing in grace. Amen
Challenge
Take time in your day or week to look into and marvel at the things God has created by his own hand
Digging Deeper
Devotionally Yours 