It is wise to…
Seeking God in all things is wise to do.
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
Solomon asked for wisdom. When God told him that he could have asked for ANYTHING ELSE in this world and it would be given to him, riches included, he still asked for wisdom on how to rule.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5
It is wise to ask for wisdom because you fear God and want to serve and please Him. God doesn’t withhold when we ask and He doesn’t just give it in little doses but LIBERALLY and without finding fault as He could. Let’s face it, we would all be in trouble if He did.
Solomon was wise to ask for wisdom. The Word tells us that the fear of the Lord leads to wisdom and we are to seek wisdom above anything else.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10
Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom and understanding go hand in hand. We must seek to understand, we won’t find it in ourselves! The true fear of the Lord is the beginning of it wisdom and acknowledging Him as our Maker is where we begin.
Solomon didn’t always use wisdom but God gave it to him abundantly and because this pleased God SO MUCH that Solomon would ask for the principle thing over any and everything, He sure gave it to him more than generously! Along with this he had the greatest position available and God also gave him both wealth and honor. There was no equal among him. God gives positions and God takes. Great privileges come with great responsibility and what a privilege it is to serve Him. What a great privilege we have to pray and a great promise of what He says He’ll give when we do.
It pleased God that he asked this so it must please God when we do. He’s more than glad and willing to give when we ask and ask sincerely. The word tells us to ask. To seek. We have not if we ask have not or either it’s because we ask amiss so our own lust may be fulfilled. Solomon sought to seek God and His guidance.
Fear is vital but Humility is also key. A lot of kings were arrogant and haughty and didn’t need God, so they thought. So they followed the way of their fathers and it didn’t end well for them. It may go well for a while like it did with king Jeroboam, who we read about later in the story of Solomon, but it doesn’t in the end. When we take matters into our own it eventually ends up falling out of our hands. You can read story after story about these kinds of kings. Who’s the king and ruler of your life??
Unless a man or woman repents, this kind of attitude and position NEVER last or ends well. David, Solomon’s father, was honored even after sin - because he fully trusted God and always turned back to Him. He truly was a man after God’s very own heart. This always steered him in the right direction. Solomon had to figure this out the hard way. Even though he was the wisest man to date, heart always trumps wisdom because the heart is truly the real matter of everything. A heart that wants and truly desires to please God will and is already wise to seek to do so. We are told to obey His commands. We are not to follow any other commands or our own heart… It’s deceitful above all things unless God is in it and first in it!
Solomon knew that he was young and inexperienced and he confessed so. We are wise to confess and acknowledge our weaknesses, AND to follow God! We must follow through. When we humble ourselves, eventually God will lift us up when the time is right or due. In the mean time we must lean in. God doesn’t want to position you for failure and first you and I must realize that none of this is done by our own might or power but by His Holy Spirit. Our positions and lives were given to us by God. Many are our ways but it is always going to be His that stand, in the end. He created us and we must follow Him if we want to be wise. Otherwise we are living very shallow lives.
Solomon was wise to ask for wisdom and to admit that he was but a little boy in wisdom and experience. He was wise to confess that he needed God to help him lead the people well. May we. We are nothing without Him and going nowhere without His guidance. In fact, Solomon cared about leading the people well, which is a sign of a good leader. Most kings wanted to rule with an iron fist which is the god of self. Solomon was wise in this regard and he truly wanted to do it well. He wanted to please God as his father David did.
God is the same God then, now and always will be. He wants us to prosper and know how to lead well but definitely doesn’t want us ruling our own lives. He gives us His Spirit and His wisdom. He holds the blue print/the Master plan. Nothing else will do or last. Nothing, No matter how long you’ve tried to do it your way, it’s not to late to turn to Him.
Solomon WANTED to know how. He wanted an understanding mind and a hearing heart. He was like Gideon in the fact that he was humbly saying that he couldn’t do this but also wise in the fact to know he could if he had God. Solomon knew that he had his father’s shoes to fill. He knew that it would be the same God and Father that led his father, that would have to lead him, if he wanted to succeed.
We are not the rulers of our own lives but God does give us free will. We are horrible rulers and it may begin well but no matter what, it won’t end the same way when God is not involved or in. We must not try to reign and rule our own lives much less anyone else’s. We are to lead and guide by example and with the heart of Jesus Christ. He humbled himself. God Himself came down and took on the form of man and Jesus was that man, God’s very own, one and only begotten Son. Jesus took for Himself a very low position to serve. He was even born in a manger and born to lowly humble willing people, and this is how we should begin; humbly! If we have started off any other way, it’s time to repent.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:8
Humbling ourselves is vital before God. We are told to love mercy, act justly and to walk humbly with the Lord our God. How can we do any of these without true humility and the great love of God? IF WE humble ourselves before Him, recognize and confess our sin of trying to rule alone, He will hear and answer us. God is God and we are not. He tells us to seek Him with our whole hearts, and then we’d find Him. He is no different than He was to David, Solomon or you and me. There isn’t a promise that he won’t keep. He says He’ll give us wisdom liberally if we ask and we will find Him if and when we seek. May we not forget to see. James is a great book to read on how to live more Godly.
If it pleased the Lord that Solomon asked for this, then he pleases him when we ask. He is no respecter of persons and He made us all. He made us each with purpose and no one is above Him.
It is wise to seek Him. May I add that wise man sought Him when He was born and may we seek and find Him now. Then we can come and offer the gift of our hearts and obedience. To lay ourselves at His feet of Jesus so that we may live our lives as unto Him.
He’ll Never steer you the wrong way. Be wise to obey and let God rule.
(IF) My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
There’s always an if with God because He made a way. If we follow, He blesses as we obey! He’s already done His part and we are wise to seek the way that He made for you and me. We are told to seek God first and His kingdom above all and everything else. I believe this is why Jesus told us to “pray like this” (Matthew 6:9-13) to avoid unnecessary pain! When we seek Him first and truly, THEN all the rest will be added to us. Otherwise he’s all vain. That’s why God also give him riches and honor both along side of wisdom (1Kings 3, v13).
No matter what you may be facing. No matter how young or old you are. No matter how wise or unwise you think you are. God loves you and He is all wise and all knowing. He wants to give you wisdom and guidance, and He knows that it is you who must follow. Father knows best. Let us be wise to seek Him
Ask yourself this question: is He truly the King of your life and does He rule or do you? It’s time to seek Him.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Romans 10:9
The first step in anything is to confess. I confess thay we need more of Him and to become more like Him. Amen.
