Prosperity versus Marriage: What to Do

 

Sometimes, prosperity or a level of success one attains

can get into one’s head, making one misbehave and forget God. Some of such people can become so blessed, successful and/or prosperous that anyone looking at them would know that it isn’t merely their hard work that has gotten them there, but the hand of God Himself. For some people, because they feel they now have all the money they want, then it is time to begin to sample women (amongst other sinful acts they may engage in of course). This is no way to get your ideal partner, if this is you. You could drift away from God, especially as He is not the one leading you. He would only lead you to one partner in the first place. 

Consider the Book of 1st Chronicles 14:2-3 (King James Version):

And David perceived that the LORD had confirmed him king over Israel, FOR HIS KINGDOM WAS LIFTED UP ON HIGH, because of his people Israel. 

AND DAVID TOOK MORE WIVES at Jerusalem: and David begat more sons and daughters (emphasis mine). 

Here, David perceived that it was God that has brought him so far. That means God was responsible for his prosperity. What did he do? He took more wives!

A similar thing happened with his son, Solomon. In 1st Kings 10, we read about the near impossible but yet true prosperity of Solomon who succeeded David. For emphasis sake, read the entire chapter. Then Chapter 11 begins thus: “But Solomon (defiantly) loved many foreign women – the daughter of Pharoah, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites” (Verse 1, The Amplified Version). Read on and see how far Solomon went with and for these women, and how far he drifted away from God.

Solomon was the wisest, the richest and the most honoured during his time. God loved him and even gave him a name – Jedidiah – ‘Beloved of God’ (2nd Samuel 12:25). I don’t think there is any other king in the Bible God loved like Solomon, and even gave a name.

Solomon seemed to have had everything in excess: wisdom, riches, honour, a great house, three thousand proverbs, a thousand and five songs, name it (1st Kings 4:20-24; 10:14-29)! But then, sadly, he had every other thing in excess as well: wives in excess (seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines), and gods in excess (for each of his wives).

Because of this sin, Israel was divided. To sin is to drift away from God or God’s will and purpose for your life, and this Solomon had done.

You must note that God is out to prosper you because He loves you. Do not let this get into your head and make you drift away from God to begin to frolic when you eventually become ‘made’, or when you finally ‘blow’, as my students would put it. Rather, let it get into your head to draw you all the more closer to God in love. You should insert God into your life and hit the ‘continuous play’ button.