The One Year Bible - Day 204

Solomon made a big gesture today. He moved his foreign wife from Jerusalem to another palace because he realised that she should not be 'on holy ground'. The law dictated that the Israelites should not marry foreign women since they would be led astray yet Solomon, who we know had a fondness for the ladies, had done exactly that. He had at least done something about this and made sure he separated his 'unholy' wife from the area of the Temple. I somehow feel this was half-hearted though and it would be like saying I will leave my alcoholism at home and not bring it into the church. What Solomon should have done, as the returning Exiles did in Ezra, was to divorce their wives and send them back to their own lands. To completely deal with the compromise and not try and ignore it. What do we bring to church or perhaps 'leave at home' which we should actually get shot of? Something obvious like addiction?, an un-Godly relationship? Perhaps something more subtle like fear, bitterness or pain? God has the power to deal with these things, why on earth do we allow them to continue?