“Be wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord our God to walk in his statutes and keep his commands, as it is today.” 1 Kings 8:61
When I read this, I thought it would be a great verse-of-the-year. You know, one to memorize, to focus and meditate on. A govern your life by kind-of-verse, a top goal for 2026 verse.
These words from 1 Kings were spoken by King Solomon. Remember him? We know him as prosperous, wise, and peaceful. The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon writer. In addition to poetry, he was also a gifted builder chosen by the Lord to build His Temple. He had a knack for business and had quite the foreign policy. He reigned over Israel during what was considered the Golden Age. Cue the roses and sunshine. Stop!
His wholehearted devotion to God, the devotion he exhibited and spoke to his people of early on in his reign began to wane and although he started out quite devoted to God, throughout his reign and in his final years He began to stray more and more from God. Just like the rest of us, his straying began because He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord, He did not walk in his statutes and He directly defied God’s Word, reminding us that lack of devotion leads to disobedience.
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Deuteronomy 7:3
King Solomon’s women choices may have been good for his foreign policy but they were not good for his soul He married about 700 royal brides (this was part of his foreign policy) and had about 300 concubines. These foreign brides introduced idol worship to the King and his people. King Solomon forgot that God’s statutes always have a purpose and are always for our protection and edification. Always.
“Be wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord our God to walk in his statutes and keep his commands, as it is today.” 1 Kings 8:61
So, what is “wholeheartedly devoted?” What does that mean? What does that look like? How do we accomplish that?
The Hebrew word for “wholeheartedly” or “wholly devoted” is shalem. Looks familiar doesn’t it? That’s because it is. The word shalem means complete, whole, full, perfect, at peace. It comes from the same root word as shalom, and carries the undertones of peace that flow from wholeness, a wholeness that can only come from God.
A shalem heart is an undivided heart. It is a heart oriented entirely toward faithfulness. It urges all people at all times toward undivided loyalty to God. Wholehearted devotion is about faithfulness. It is about commitment to the Lord. That kind of devotion compels us to live and obey, to walk and to keep his statutes. At this stage of Solomon’s life, it was not all about opulence. At this stage of his life, King Solomon wanted faithful people. Not halfway committed people – not just faithful and obedient to God when they felt like it or when it was convenient but fully committed. No excuses.
It was King Solomon’s desire for God’s people back then and it is still God’s desire for His people today, total commitment. Total commitment does not mean perfection, it is simply fully setting our hearts on God – undivided, wholehearted commitment to God that is lived out in obedience to Him.
So, in 2026 I think our prayer should be for God to help us to be faithful, wholly devoted, committed people. To follow the example of King Solomon in his early reign. To be a people striving to faithfully, wholeheartedly live and obey, to be a people who walk and keep His Word.