Solomon launched the nation of Israel on a building spree. Most famously, he built the temple dedicated to the Lord, a wonder of the ancient world. He also built himself a palace, and later a palace for the daughter of Pharaoh, one of his queens.

Solomon built whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled (2 Chronicles 8:6).

So when Solomon looks back on life of construction projects, his thoughts cause me to turn my head. Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain (Psalm 127:1).

Solomon speaks to more than just putting up temples and palaces as he reminds us to remember the Lord as we build our lives. Solomon learned by experience, and failed at times to practice what he preached. Remember, this is the same man who wrote vanity of vanities, all is vanity! (Ecclesiastes 1:1).

From the mouth of experience. As I build in life, as I develop and grow and seek new opportunities, it’s good to keep the words of the wise king in my ears, and trust the Lord to build the house.

Psalm 127 in week twenty-five in reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Sneaky Elbow

As a boy in junior high school, the youth pastor at our church warned us not to read Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs) until we were engaged to be married. Filled with sexual imagery and innuendo, junior high boys best stay away.

Of course, I and all my friends immediately read Song of Solomon when we got home. Over and over. Actually a great ploy—how much better if forbidden to read Romans? Junior high boys maintain short attention spans, but being told not to read a specific book in the Bible because it talked about sex certainly focused mine.

The descriptions of the beautiful woman stood out to me then, as well as today, especially the use of metaphor strange to my ears. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead (4:1). Not a line I blurt out when my wife asks me what I think of her hair, but I can picture it if I think hard enough.

I also love this image—Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone (4:2).

Growing up in the Ozarks, a girl with all her teeth certainly counted as a prize. But seriously, in the era Solomon wrote, dental hygiene lagged way behind today. People experimented with various remedies to clean their teeth and freshen their breath, but it proved difficult to keep a mouth full of healthy teeth into adulthood.

So, the beautiful, white, perfect teeth of his lover impressed Solomon. Makes me thankful for my parents who sent me to brush my teeth every night, and for the dental professionals scolding me over the years for my lack of attention.

I got the message—I now work to keep my teeth like that flock of newly shorn sheep. My hair, however, might be a lost cause.

Song of Songs 4 in week twenty-five of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Hans Heiner Buhr

Pulling into the garage with a van load of sleepy kids, I unstrapped the boys as my wife carried our youngest into the house. She immediately stepped back out and whispered, “something’s wrong.” I tip-toed into a confusing scene. Every cabinet door wide open, a television on the floor, and a cold wind blowing through the busted-in back door.

We hurried next door to call the police. Not one to wait, my neighbor grabbed a baseball bat, handed me another, and headed out. “Let’s go check out your house.” Sometimes crazy emerges in a crisis.

Empty. The sound of the garage door scared the thieves off, scurrying away with what they carried. They stole several items, including cash, a video cassette player, and a brand new pair of running shoes—my “preaching shoes.” I paid for those Nikes with an honorarium from speaking at a local church. I prayed a curse of blisters on the thief.

That night shocked me in a bad way. Our home invasion left me scared and frustrated and without restful sleep for weeks. Thieves invaded our home, putting my family at risk. I never anticipated such a breach in our quiet neighborhood.

So when Paul says, the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, I get his drift. I won’t see it coming.

While the day of the Lord might surprise me like a thief, a joyous result actually follows—a new life in eternity. Paul tells us to encourage one another with these words.

No need to moan about my preaching shoes any more.

I Thessalonians 5 in week twenty-five of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Jilbert Ebrahimi

Paul answers a question many of us think about at times – what happens after we die? Actually, in this instance he only addresses a question about believers in Jesus who pass on before the rest of us. But his answer blows me away.

Paul shares a hopeful message—God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep (died) in him. Then Paul paints an astonishing picture of an unknowable day in the future—The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

After the trumpet sounds, and the dead rise, those followers of Jesus still alive (who didn’t die of a heart attack already) will be caught up in the clouds and meet Jesus in the air.

As we join the Lord in the clouds, those of us who follow Jesus (I’m aspiring to that hopeful group) will meet many of our ancestors for the first time.

I wonder—will we know each other’s names?

Will I recognize my great-great-great-grandfather (assuming he and I are both there)? Will he recognize me? Will I know the names of my fellow believers from India and China and Egypt and Iran and Delaware?

Reunions involve lots of introductions, long stories, comments about what young person looks like what old person, and sharing the twists and turns of life.

But this get-together in the air promises much more. The result? We will be with the Lord forever.

I have a feeling we’ll know each other’s names. As Paul writes, encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4 in week twenty-five of reading the Bible cover to cover

Photo by Nick Scheerbart