“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” Ecclesiastes 12:13, NKJV.
“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Psalms 24:3-5, NKJV.
Except for Jesus, the wisest man to ever walk the earth was Solomon. Of everything he knew, this is what he said about life itself. Out of all this, the man who reached the mountaintop, who had all the riches a man could want, the most important thing he would tell you was to fear God and keep his commandments.
Selah, pause and think about this for a moment.
Solomon had reached a place few men attain. He had it all and seen it all. He had done it all. Yet, his humbling conclusion about life was that if you are going to center your life around anything, center it around this–reverence and honor God and keep His commandments. That’s what truly matters and what you want to climb to, ascend to. That’s what you really want to reach. Center your pursuits around what will please the Father and benefit you when you leave. Center it, shape it, and prioritize it around Jesus and the One Who sits in the position of Judge and will judge everything, good or evil, that we have done.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of a man’s wisdom. I pray everything else begins to have a lesser meaning, and what’s important day-by-day rises above material things and great gain. My brother, climb a different mountain. Seek to have clean hands and a pure heart. True life and blessing come from God alone.
Prayer: Father, I praise You. Everything I see, You made, and I exalt Your holy Name. Help me humble myself and do my whole duty as a man, which is to fear You and keep Your commandments. I desire clean hands and a pure heart. This is the real mountaintop. I will not choose a different mountain. As I do, you will bless my days and my life to come. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Study: Matthew 5:8
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