“Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.”1 Kings 11:11

During Solomon’s reign, no other nation in the world served God. The Lord had called the Israelites to be His people. He had given them His commandments, and their history was dominated by His presence. We might have expected God to conclude that, even when Israel sinned, it still was “better” than any other nation. And when their leader Solomon sinned, we might assume he still was more Godly than leaders in other nations. Surely, we might think, God wouldn’t send judgment. But this is not how God viewed Israel or Solomon. His Word had set specific standards by which they were to live. This was the basis of how they would be judged—not in comparison to other nations, but in comparison to His standards. They had sinned and would face the consequences. This is the model for how God judges our lives as well. As individuals, we might think that, even with our flaws, we still are “good enough.” Even when we violate His Word, we still might feel we’re “good people” who don’t deserve God’s judgment. As He looks at our nation, we might assume He considers us better than other nations and that, even with our flaws, we still are righteous enough. But just as in Solomon’s time, God reminds us that He judges us according to the standards He’s set and the commands He’s given to us. Brothers & Sisters today, make sure you are living according to God’s Word and not according to the opinions of other people or the standards encouraged by the world. Remember: God has given us His standards. Pray for your country and its leaders. Pray that your nation would stand for righteousness!