Corona Devo 770

Have you heard the phrase, "One to grow on"--referring to sound advice/a "best practice"/or a life-hack that someone provides to help us "do life better"?

Years ago, I had a dear neighbor/friend/sister-in-Christ who passed away from cancer and although the doctors never pinpointed the catalyst of her lung cancer (she was a non-smoker), her philosophy was that it had stemmed from using too much bleach as a (cleanly) young mom. Months before she passed, she delivered little spray bottles filled with a vinegar/water mixture to me and other young moms on our street, encouraging us to use this safe, effective solution for cleaning, rather than the harsh alternatives on store shelves. I still use vinegar and water to clean, thanks to her "one to grow on".

The Bible gives us the very best "one to grow on's", and today's "dose" comes to us straight from King Solomon, who had a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! (I Kings 3:12). (He sounds like a safe bet for advice!)

We seek and take direction from many sources, but today, let's welcome a few "one to grow on's" from King Solomon...we might be surprised at how his wisdom (given by God) blesses our daily operations.

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Solomon also had twelve district governors who were over all Israel. They were responsible for

providing food for the king’s household. Each of them arranged provisions for

one month of the year….  ~I Kings 4:7

One to grow on #1: Make a weekly/monthly meal plan! We might not have the means to hire outside "governors" to provide food for our households, but planning and arranging our provisions will bless our grocery bill, our daily (household) organization, our nutritional intake, and our sanity!

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The daily food requirements for Solomon’s palace were 150 bushels of choice flour and 300 bushels of meal; (23) also 10 oxen from the fattening pens, 20 pasture-fed cattle, 100 sheep or

goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roe deer, and choice poultry. ~I Kings 4:22-23

One to grow on #2: Keep our meals/intake simple and pure. It seems that King Solomon and his palace folk ate their proteins and even some carbs. But what we don't see on Solomon's (primary) shopping list are Oreo's, Cheetos, cinnamon rolls and chocolate cream pie. Sticking to the (literal) basics, consuming whole foods and fewer preservatives and sugar...that's one to grow on.

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Solomon’s dominion extended over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah to Gaza. And there was peace on all his borders. (25) During the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety. ~I Kings 4:24-25

One to grow on #3: Seek peace. Just reading these verses allows my soul to exhale and feel...peaceful. Peace is life-giving and provides opportunity for internal/external contentment and spiritual/physical fulfillment. Seek peace in our relationships, dealings, thinking and living.

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And from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south, each family had its own home and garden. ~I Kings 4:25

One to grow on #4: Providing our own food (even in small ways) and owning property is good.

Consider "buying" if you are not a homeowner and plant some seeds if you have the time. Homes and gardens are work and constant care, but the fulfillment and pride connected with them is hard to verbalize. It feels productive and "right" to have a place to go home to that we can call our own. Ever since the Garden of Eden, the Lord placed the "call" to work in man's heart. We were made to earn a living (not merely accept hand-outs), and to take (healthy) pride in providing for ourselves (home and food). The satisfaction of picking your own corn/tomatoes/beans/limes/cucumbers/mint/basil/etc. is rewarding in both a primitive and spiritual way (if that's possible!) Providing our own food (in even small ways) and owning property is one to grow on.

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God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledge as vast as the sands of the seashore. (30) In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt. (31) He was wiser than anyone else... His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. (32) He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. (33) He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish. (34) And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.  ~I Kings 4:29-34

One to grow on #5: Education matters!

Solomon's wisdom made him famous throughout all the surrounding nations. We've heard of many famous people, but few are famous for their great wisdom and understanding. A wise person is both sought after and respected, and wisdom does not fade like beauty or fame.

Solomon had asked God for wisdom, and God granted it to him. We too can ask God for wisdom, and the Lord will not withhold it. But Solomon was also diligent in seeking knowledge. He read, studied and wrote to gain (and share) knowledge about plants, animals, birds, small creatures, fish and life. God is good, but we also have a personal responsibility and accountability to invest in our own "knowledge-bank".

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Seeking wisdom and life-advice from the Bible and from men and women seeking the Lord and seeking to live for Him---now that's "one to grow on" for us today!

                                         

Blessings,

Sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com