“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.’” 1 Kings 3:5.
“Now, 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.” 1 Kings 3:7.
“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.” 1 Kings 3:9-10.
Verses chosen from today’s Bible reading: 1 Kings 3, 2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 78, and 2 Thessalonians 2.
This lengthy chosen Scripture is one that I have used many times before.
This whole thing centers, in my opinion, on the Lord being pleased with a particular behavior. I want to know what pleases God and replicate it.
If I put myself in Solomon’s place, with God’s willingness to give me whatever I want, what would I want?
Solomon’s answer pleased God because he didn’t answer selfishly. He saw a bigger picture: I will be leading Your people and I’m not up to the task. I need the best help possible; Your help.
If God liked the removal of selfishness in Solomon’s case, then I must find a way to incorporate the structure of such a request into my prayers.
Often my prayers are selfish. Give me this. Give me that. I want my health. I want my family’s health. All requests with a small-picture, selfish drive to them.
Wouldn’t a better approach be to recognize that God wants my vision to be enlarged? In that Big Picture, I recognize my inadequacies and ask for His help in dealing with all situations. I claim no talents to get things right without Him in any situation.
I must want God to help me govern my life in the same way that Solomon asked God to help him govern His people. I must actively seek to know what I should do. I must want to get right and wrong right.
I believe that God will honor such a request based on the way He reacted to Solomon’s request.
“Lord, I cannot rightly manage my life without You. I plead for Your discernment so that I live for You. I plead that You will help me get on the right side of right and wrong. I want You to be pleased with me. Help me, I beg, to do that. I love You, Lord.”
What do I want from God? Solomon’s answer pleased God. I must be sure that my answer pleases Him, too.
St. Lucia
His Word For Me 