How is it that a Word so old can continue to spring fresh every time it is read? You know the story…God asked Solomon what he wanted and Solomon said “wisdom” so God gave it to him, and then some, since he didn’t ask selfishly.
But there is so much more there! And it met me as a mother.
Read:
“Solomon went up there before the LORD to the bronze altar which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.”
I’m sorry, but did you get that? 1,000. I’m no theologian, but I think it was a pretty timely process to offer any burnt offerings. Maybe it was just vegetation offerings, but I’m thinking animals were involved.
Do you know how paltry this makes my pathetic little petitions to God look? My sit-in-my-comfy-chair-with-coffee prayers?
Solomon wanted God to answer him and he was serious about getting His attention. I’m not asserting that God doesn’t listen until we do something radical, but maybe, just maybe, He knows when we are really serious about seeking Him and when we just treat Him as a favor-machine.
So God finally answers, “Ask! What shall I give you?” Or, “What do you want?”
The second part is just as good as the first. Solomon didn’t just ask for wisdom; he had a motive that drove him to ask for that. Solomon said,
“Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of Yours?”
He realized that his position as King was grave and his subjects’ health, success and welfare depended on his ability to rule. He asked for them. His heart was such that he gave up his own desires, wants and needs, and asked solely for what those in his charge would need from him.
Wow! He asked for their benefit, and he asked with all his heart, petitioning the Lord with a tenacity few of us could even touch.
Do we press Him? And do we love those in our charge enough to give up rights to ourselves and seek only what is needful for them?
“Give me wisdom for these people in my charge!” Pursue Him until He says, “What do you want?”
7 comments
Thank you for your words of encouragement. It is true that God wants to ask with real unrelenting faith. He gave us the example of the persistent widow to illustrate the point.
Thank you for your words of encouragement. It is true that God wants us to ask with real unrelenting faith. He gave us the example of the persistent widow to illustrate the point.
Very timely! I’ve been letting myself get discouraged with everything and feeling like I’m accomplishing nothing for no one. Thanks for the reminder to go to God for wisdom and to ask seriously “not wavering”.
I was struck by your point that Solomon’s request for wisdom was not a selfish request, but rather a self-less one. He didn’t ask for wisdom so that his own life would be easier or more fulfilling. He requested that God give him what he needed to accomplish his God given purpose. Whoa… how could I have missed that??
I am really loving these posts where you are sharing your insights on “old familiar” scripture passages. Times like this I really understand what it means to say that the Word is “living and active and sharper than any two edged sword.” O yeah.
Yes, I needed this today.
God loves a pure heart! How awesome He is that He gives us the ability (and instruction) to have one!
This really blessed me today…Thank you. Happy Easter to you and your beautiful family too.