The Long and Winding Road to Spiritual Decay

The next stories in 1 Kings 9-11 describe the rise and fall of King Solomon. Solomon led Israel during a golden age of peace, prosperity, and witness to their Gentile neighbors. But the postscript of his life shows a man whose many small compromises along the way produced an inevitable implosion at the end. There is a vital lesson for us here. Spiritual decay can happen to any of us. In our lives, we are either growing in our love for God or for the temporal world. We cannot love both without a regrettable spiritual ending. Let Solomon’s life and story speak to you—and let the boundless grace of God in the midst of human failure re-inspire you.