All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Psalm 145:10-12.

And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:21-23.

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12.

How can we not appreciate the above verses when reading our chapter, 2 Chronicles 8? Solomon finished building the temple of the Lord and his own palace, v. 1, and continued to build whatever he desired in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled and he built it all with slave labor, v. 6-10.

And then a curious verse. Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.” v. 11. We know from 1 Kings 11:3 that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon’s kingdom. Did Solomon’s kingdom bring hope to all people? What about all of the kingdoms of men throughout history? How did those work out for the people they ruled? How about the kingdom of our own heart? How is that working out for us?

God – Father, Son, Spirit – is the light of the world and cannot be hidden under darkness. After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:14-15.

What about us today? For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:8-10, 14-17.

How can we know God’s will? We ask. We pray. We read the written word of God that we can come to appreciate the Word of God made flesh, our living Savior. Scripture is the record of God working with us. As the living Word of God, Jesus was able to give us better understanding of the Father’s love. How many times did He say, You have heard it said before, but I say…? Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them. John 17:25. God’s Kingdom of hope.

God’s kingdom is alive and active in the hearts of all turned to Him. His kingdom is our hope unlike the kingdoms of men. Only God can give you His love. Only God can give you His peace. He’s ready. Are you? Ask!