Pam's Perambulation

If someone told you that you could have anything you wanted, I wonder what you would ask for.  Health?  Wealth?  Happiness?

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:314

David Dies

^10-11 David was king of Israel forty years. He ruled seven years from Hebron and thirty-three years from Jerusalem. Then he died and was buried in Jerusalem. ¹² His son Solomon became king and took control of David’s kingdom.

The Lord Makes Solomon Wise

3  ³ Solomon loved the Lord and followed his father David’s instructions, but Solomon also offered sacrifices and burned incense at the shrines.

⁴ The most important shrine was in Gibeon, and Solomon had offered more than a thousand sacrifices on that altar.

⁵ One night while Solomon was in Gibeon, the Lord God appeared to him in a dream and said, “Solomon, ask for anything you want, and I will give it to you.”

⁶ Solomon answered:

^10-11 God said:

Solomon, I’m pleased that you asked for this. You could have asked to live a long time or to be rich. Or you could have asked for your enemies to be destroyed. Instead, you asked for wisdom to make right decisions. ¹² So I’ll make you wiser than anyone who has ever lived or ever will live.

¹³ I’ll also give you what you didn’t ask for. You’ll be rich and respected as long as you live, and you’ll be greater than any other king. ¹⁴ If you obey me and follow my commands, as your father David did, I’ll let you live a long time.

God gives Solomon just that chance, Solomon, ask for anything you want, and I will give it to you.

Solomon, ask for anything you want, and I will give it to you

Solomon could have chosen anything he wanted – after all it was God who was offering to fulfil his wishes.  Does he seek wealth, long life or victory over his enemies?  No,  Out of everything he asked

⁹ Please make me wise and teach me the difference between right and wrong. Then I will know how to rule your people. If you don’t, there is no way I could rule this great nation of yours.

Solomon realised the awesome task ahead of him in ruling God’s people in God’s ways, and he knew he didn’t have the necessary skills – and so that is what he asked for.  And because of that, God also gives him the things he didn’t ask for…

So what are we seeking in life?

There are many things we could seek, but most of them are worthless without the wisdom of God to use them right – to know how to share, how to lead, how to live.

Lord,

I want to live in your ways,

and to do that

I need your wisdom.

I need to know how you want me to live,

how to use what you have given to me.

how to help those around me,

to know right from wrong;

and so

for that

I pray