Christ, the Light of the World

May you experience the presence of Christ, the Light of the World, everywhere, in everyone, so that hope will abound in your life and the world you live in. There is no corner of the planet where Christ is not. And may you share the light of Christ that is within you with everyone you meet, wherever you are, everyday.


Wilfredo Juan Baez

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

In God I Trust: God is Faithful to the Faithful



In God I Trust:
Faithful to the Faithful
1 Kings 3:5-14
Rev. Wilfredo J. Baez  PH.D.

God is faithful to the faithful.   What does that mean; God is faithful to the faithful?  God rewards those who align their will with God’s and walk in the ways of God.  This is an immutable law; alignment with God’s desire, making one’s own will God’s will, leads to God’s will being fulfilled in you.  It takes trust in God to be faithful to God.  If you trust in God or have at least been willing to try will you say after me, “In God I trust.”  Faith is trust in God which is ultimately trust in Life and trust in your deepest, highest and truest self.

That’s what this Old Testament reading is about.  Solomon had been elevated as a young man to the throne of his father David; big shoes to fill, no doubt.  But what does Solomon do?  Solomon trusts God.  He prayed to God, “And now, O Lord my God, you have made me your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted.”

What Solomon could have done!  He could have led by his own devices.  He could have led by his own counsel or the counsel of those around him.  But rather than rely solely on his own worldly knowledge and experience and that of his advisors he put his trust in God.  And although he had a great intellect, he knew intuitively to trust not in those around him, but to trust the source of life which resided deep within him, the deepest stratus of identity.  What was his motto?  In God I trust.  Will you make “in God I trust” your motto this week?  Post it where you can see it.  Repeat it to yourself.  Let’s try it right now:  “In God I trust!”

It was already so that Solomon had a relationship with God as God appeared to him in a dream and told Solomon to “ask what I should give you.”  You can ask it this way too, “What do I want from God?”  If God was to ask you that question what would you answer?   Let’s see what Solomon answered.  

Solomon had witnessed his father David’s relationship with God; a good example of a father for a son.  And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today.”  

What a gift David left Solomon!  What an example, even though David wasn’t a perfect man.  He was arrogant at times and ruthless.  He made some poor choices and major mistakes.  And he paid a price for his actions.  But God wasn’t expecting perfection out of David.  God was expecting faithfulness, righteous and uprightedness in heart.  He was seeking right intention and devotion.   He was seeking David’s attunement with his own righteousness; that being a vibrancy of being of the same frequency of God.  You can use the word godliness in place of righteousness.  And that’s what he was hoping for from Solomon.  

And it’s what God is hoping for from you and me; faithfulness, righteousness and uprightedness, not perfection.  The Buddha put it this way; right desire, right action and right livelihood.  Jesus put it; “my Father’s will; God’ will; the way, the truth and the life that leads to unity with the will of God; not what I want God, what you want; your will is my will.”  Joseph and Mary provided the example of this in their own lives for Jesus.  Can you imagine leaving that legacy for your own children, grand children and great grand children; trust in God!  What legacy would you like to leave your progeny?   “In God I trust.”

So what did Solomon ask God for?   Solomon answered, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern your great people?”

Think of all the things that Solomon could have asked for; power over people, riches, wives, military prowess and he asked for wisdom by which to lead and to discern right from wrong.  Imagine a world where our political and business leaders sought this, we as parents and grandparents sought this as heads of households and families and we as lay and clergy leaders sought this for leading our churches, faith communities and secular communities; where our leaders and every human lived by what motto?  “In God I trust!”

Solomon’s request pleased God and not because God needed anything from Solomon.  God doesn’t need anything from us.  God’s desire is for our well-being.  God wants the best of us and from us for us.  There’s no selfishness in God.  That in itself is a great example for us; to be selfless and let God manifest in us, through us and around us.  Solomon did something that Jesus did later on.  He put God first; God’s vision, God’s Kingdom and rule.  He put love first.   Some call this Deep Love or Big Love.  And God rewarded him.  This is true trust; trust in God, his own calling; his own highest, truest and best self going forward.

God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word.  Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you.  I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you.  If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”

Jesus put it this way:  “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these other things will be given to you.”   Seek Wisdom and Truth from Within and Beyond. Align you will with God’s Will and Heaven’s storehouses of riches will be open to you.  You’ll have everything you need and more.  Your life will be lengthened in days and your impact on others increased.  

What happens for us when we put God first and then the people God has put before us to serve; our spouses, our children, our grandchildren, our neighbors, our communities?  God is faithful to the faithful.  God is faithful to us when we align ourselves with God’s will, which is not separate at all from our own highest or best will.  When our hearts and minds are aligned with this higher will of ours, good pours forth from us and for us, others being part of us, for we are all one in this Spirit and this life together; God’s love, God’s presence, God’s being is manifest in us and our world.  Let’s declare it as a commitment:  In God I trust!”

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