WHEN GOD ASKS US A QUESTION

At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said,”ask! What shall I give you?”  And Solomon said, “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You.  You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.  Now O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child, I do not know how to go out or come in.  And Your servant is in the midst of your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.  Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.  For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

The speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing, Then God said to him;  “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked long life for yourself nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold I have done according to your words, see, I have given you a wise and understand heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.  And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.  So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

Then Solomon awoke: and indeed it had been a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the covenant of the LORD, offered up burnt offerings, offered peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants. I Kings 3:5-14 NKJV

The Bible states in  2 Samuel  12-24 NIV, “ Bathsheba gave birth to a son and King David and Bathsheba named him Solomon (peaceable). The Lord loved him; and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.”  Jedidiah means –Loved by the LORD.  Since David means “beloved,” father and son were bound together by similar names.. God had told King David that this son would be born and that he would build the temple of God and He kept His promise.

 I am sure that as a child growing up King David and the Prophet Nathan gave Solomon wise and Godly counsel.  This teaching formed Solomon’s beliefs in God, his attitudes about living Godly, and formed his personal  need for Godly knowledge.

 Most king’s sons would grow up thinking (look at me, my father is king, I know it all, my every wish is everyone’s command.)  But not Solomon.  When God asked him what he wanted from God, his answer was, “More than anything he wanted an understanding heart, and wisdom to rule this great Nation.”

Before the death of King David he named his son, Prince Solomon as the one that would succeed him to the throne, even though Solomon was not David’s eldest son, Prince Adonijah was the oldest son of David, but God knew that he would not be a wise or fair king to the Nation of Israel. King David knew this also, so he chose Prince Solomon to succeed him to the throne.  

King Solomon felt as a child before the LORD and before the Nation he was to rule. He was meek and mild enough to know that there was no way without CONTINUAL,  DAILY great and mighty Wisdom  from God that he could not do this formidable task every day of his life.

We may never have the responsibility to lead a nation of people, but in everyday life there are many opportunities that we need the Wisdom of God to make decisions;  (i.e.), our Walk with God, our marriages, our children,  work, every decision we make should be based on the perfect Wisdom of God for us. “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But he must ask in faith without any doubting.” James 1:5,6a,NASB

God always wants each of us to remember that we can do nothing  to advance His Kingdom, without Him, and His Wisdom; but with Him, we can do everything that He leads us to do.

Precious Readers with God as our SOURCE, we are unstoppable, Love Gloria

Copyright 2013 Gloria B. Powell. All rights reserved.