A heart as vast as the sandy beach by the sea.

 

Thursday, September 7, 2023


Psalm 19

1 Kings 4:20-34

Acts 25:1-12


A heart as vast as the sandy beach by the sea.


During an interview about the movie Star Wars, the actor Mark Hamill once recounted a conversation he had with the movie’s director, George Lucas. He had asked the director about the introduction of the movie’s villain, Darth Vader; specifically, Mark asked George if there shouldn’t be some sort of discussion between side characters on just how nasty and terrifying the villain was. The director replied that the villain was dressed in black, he was to stand against a white background, and his enemies were to cower in fear: the audience would understand.


In describing the impressiveness of Solomon as king, the author of 1 Kings seems to be stretching himself to the limits of language. It is one thing to read this text; it must have been quite another to actually live as one Solomon’s subjects who “ate, drank and enjoyed themselves”. How much more difficult it must have been for the writers of scripture to describe the wonders of God when recounting specific miraculous events of the Old Testament. Psalm 19 reads as if the author’s heart was filled to the brim with wonder and thanksgiving at the glory of the Lord of creation who stoops down to look after these little humans; and yet these precious few verses that we have received are the director’s cut.


Indeed, there is only so far that simply reading these words can take us. Plenty of people read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life. But it takes the time and effort of sitting with them and allowing them to really sink in for us to truly appreciate what has been written. When God wanted to show humanity just how vast His heart was for us, He didn’t just send down words on tablets; He also came in Person. He didn’t just tell us how much He loves us; He showed us, too.


Solomon had a heart as vast as the sandy beach by the sea. But if we were to try and describe how vast Jesus’ heart is for us, I don’t think the whole world could contain the books that would have to be written (John 21:25). Jesus showed us Himself on the cross, and then raised again on the third day. This is enough for us to understand.

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