Bow & Believe

Be at peace with each other and seek to serve. You will see the power of God go before you as you believe. 

“When Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king…he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David. I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the Lord my God…So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set…Praise be to the Lord today…you are to grant my wish by providing food for my royal household. In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted, and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths of pressed olive oil. The Lord gave Solomon wisdom, just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.” 1 Kings 5:1-12

Something beautiful happens when we make peace with each other. Peace opens the door for prosperity. Peace paves the way to live out our kingdom purposes like building a temple or being a temple of the Holy Spirit. Pay close attention to the process that led to peace and trade treaties between these two kings. 

What brought peace?  Hiram led with kindness and generosity. Both men listened to what the other needed rather than dictating terms. They did not squabble over pricing, the looked at the bigger picture for how each could serve each other to help both kingdoms be stronger. Where could you use peace? Are you willing to sacrifice and serve in order to set the table for success? 

“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.” Psalms 146:1-3, 5-8 

The peace that Solomon experienced was not an accident, but an inheritance. His peace came from his father whose heart was devoted to God. We can dig deeper to see the origin of peace was rooted in a legacy of praise. What legacy are you handing down to others? David sang and sought the Lord. David said his help came from God and his hope was in the Lord.  

David looked at the world different differently. He saw everything as from God for God.  It is hard to have peace if all of your confidence comes from circumstances or people who cannot save your soul. Peace and praise happen when we align our lives with the Living God. Pause for a moment and do not miss how David used two different names when pursuing peace. 

David sang of two names for the same reason that the apostle Paul said that we are to confess that Jesus is Lord and believe He was raised from the dead.  God is both Savior and Lord. He is the Creator and King. Peace does not just happen accidentally. Peace happens when we allow God to be the authority over our lives and the source of our salvation. It does no good to say you believe in God, but not let Him guide your steps.  Trying to maintain control while following Christ only leads to internal conflict and chaos. Where do you need to submit, surrender, and serve the Lord rather than seeking your own will or way? 

“The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest. Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips…fools multiply words. Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time for strength and not for drunkenness. Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.” Ecclesiastes 10:2-18 

As Solomon aged, he shared what he had seen about the different paths that people can pursue. Interestingly, he does not condemn the foolish path, rather he provides commentary on where it leads. Jesus does the same thing with us as we walk with Him. You have a choice which way you travel. 

Your power to choose is your greatest power. You have the power to choose whether you will let the spirit lead you and if you will honor God. You choose whether you will do live in your own strength or welcome the Spirit. You can choose surrender and sacrifice or you can choose selfishness and sin. Often the small steps of daily obedience are what lead to the blessed life of peace. 

What are some insights that Solomon shared from what he saw? Wise people treat others as they want to be treated and do for others what they want done for themselves. Solomon gave us the golden rule long before Jesus. Solomon said listen more than you talk and walk out your faith by working hard. Solomon said do not abandon ship at the first signs of distress, staying calm will calm the storms of offense. 

“This is what the Lord says to his anointed…I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you…I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things…Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it…Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker…It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts. All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced…Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.” Isaiah 45:1-24

Jesus wants us to learn to live in truth. What truth does Isaiah declare in this passage? We serve the God who goes before us.  We serve the God who levels mountains.  We serve the God who breaks down gates and breaks chains from the past.  We serve the God who has hidden treasure He wants to give us.  We serve the God who made the heavens and the earth, the light and the darkness, and calls us by name. 

Where do you need to declare truth over your life? Truth warns us not to get off track by longing for idols or quarreling with our Creator. Do you have any arguments with God that are unsettled? Are you miffed at your Maker? It might be time to put away the sword and bow your knee. Truth tells us we are not in charge and salvation is found through surrender. 

“After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”…A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” Mark 9:2-50

Do you believe? Do you believe that with Jesus all things are possible? Do you believe peace is possible in your heart and in the world? It can be hard to see ahead to how God will turn darkness to light, but all things are possible to those who believe. 

Solomon made peace through humility, generosity, and service. David taught peace is sustained through a life of praise and trust in the Lord. Solomon said wisdom is lived out through patience, gracious words, hard work, and daily obedience. Isaiah declared God Himself goes before us, breaking down barriers and leading us to a life of freedom. 

The Prince of Peace brought every one of these truths together perfectly. He called His followers to believe, to listen to Him, to stop arguing about who is greatest, and instead become the servant of all. The Spirit moves in the mightiest ways through surrendered hearts and bowed knees. Peace, wisdom, strength, and victory are all found in the authority of Jesus Christ as you make Him Lord of your life. 

Take a moment and examine your own heart. Is there someone with whom you need to pursue peace instead of proving yourself right? Is there an area where God has been asking you to surrender, but you continue to hold tightly to control? Jesus reminds us that everything is possible for one who believes, yet He also teaches that greatness belongs to those who choose the lowest place while serving others. Faith is not merely believing God can do great things; it is trusting Him enough to daily follow His way.

As you walk with Christ today, choose the path of peace. Choose praise over pride, wisdom over worldly ways, surrender over striving, and service over self. Believe that the God who leveled mountains still goes before His people today. As you bow your knee to the King and faithfully serve those around you, you will discover that God has already gone ahead of you, preparing the way, opening doors no one else can open, and revealing the hidden treasures that belong to those who trust Him. Let the peace of Christ rule your heart as you live out your kingdom purposes to serve and love like He did.