WHAT WOULD YOU ASK FOR?

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

"Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for — both riches and honor — so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life." Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.

He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord's covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.

1 Kings 3:1-15

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Picture this scene.

You have left your childhood years…graduating from school, whether high school or high school followed by college…and now you have moved out into the world as an adult.

You get established, having a job and a place to call home…maybe even having a wife and children. You’re able to get by and life is manageable for you.

One night, when you lay down to sleep, the Lord speaks to you and asks you one question:

“(Your name), Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Wow! What a dream!

God is speaking to you and asking you what you might want Him to give you. You try and grasp the immensity of this. Because the maker of all things has opened up the opportunity for you to pick what you want.

So what would you ask for?

In our scripture passage today, we see Israel’s new king facing the same matter.

We read where Solomon had made an “alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter”, bringing her “to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem”. All was well in his kingdom as he “showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the statutes of his father David “with the exception of “sacrifices that were taking place “at the high places”…places where the Canaanites had once conducted pagan worship. But we’re told that the sacrificing and worship took place there “because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord”.

So all was well in Israel as Solomon “went to Gibeon” to worship the Lord, offering “a thousand burnt offerings on that altar”. And it was there that “the Lord appeared to (him) during the night in a dream” and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

So what did Solomon ask for?

Well, before we get his answer, we see Solomon giving the Lord praise saying:

“You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.”

Solomon acknowledged not only the Lord’s blessings on his father during his rule but also that he was on the throne because it was God’s will for him to be there. In other words, we see Solomon’s humbleness coming through…a humbleness that was saying, “It isn’t about me Lord but about You.”

Solomon follows this by giving a prelude to what he wishes to ask for. Let’s read his words again:

"Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.”

We know that Solomon was young when he assumed the throne and in David’s final charge to him, he included the exhortation to be a man…to show a maturity beyond his youth. And Solomon, in this passage does just that.

For when he could have asked for anything from the Lord, he asks to be given “a discerning heart” which he could use to “govern (God’s) people and to distinguish between right and wrong”. And he seals his request by essentially saying, “Who can govern Your people without Your guidance?”

Friends, the same applies today. We can’t have the discernment to do what is right or lead anyone properly unless we seek and follow the Lord’s wisdom in our lives. Solomon realized it and we need to do likewise.

Why?

Because the Lord favors those who seek Him. We know this because scripture tells us as we read how “the Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for (wisdom)”. Solomon didn’t go after material gain for himself. No…he asked for something that would benefit the people he was appointed and anointed to lead. And in return, God rewarded him.

Back to the scriptures where we see the Lord tell Solomon, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for — both riches and honor — so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."

Solomon didn’t ask for great gain…not for riches or honor…but he received it anyways, not because he wished for it for himself but rather because the Lord wished to bless him with it. Indeed, the Lord honors a humble, obedient servant.

And so it was with Solomon. For as he awoke from his dream, his legacy was about to start and all that he would be remembered and revered for was set in this one dream. We read where Solomon returned to Jerusalem and the first thing he did was worship before having a feast for his court. The Lord had blessed him greatly…and in turn, Solomon paid Him proper tribute.

In this passage, we see the value in humility…in selflessness and in seeking the Father’s wisdom. And in Solomon’s actions and attitude, we get a glimpse of Jesus, who consistently exercised these same principles during His life.

As we continue to move through this Advent season, may we reflect on Christ more and more, embracing all that He was and seeking to walk in His every way. Amen.

Have a blessed week everyone.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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