1 Kings 1-3: A Discerning Heart

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. - 1 Kings 3:4-15 NIV

We ask God for many things:  a word, a healing, a relief from our trials, a fountain of  wealth,  but seldom do we ask for his heart, for a discerning heart.  We want God to do all of the work.  We want him to magically make everything happen, but if we really wanted to please him, we would ask for wisdom.  Not the one time, guide me as I make this decision, wisdom, but wisdom that would follow us throughout our lives, the kind of wisdom that Solomon asked for, the kind of wisdom that would benefit others not just ourselves.  The kind of wisdom that would serve both God and his people. 

In honor of Solomon's request, God told him that he would receive everything he could have asked for but didn't as well. Jesus repeated the same promise to the disciples and the crowds that followed him.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. - Matt. 6:33 KJV

2010 Post - 1 Kings 1-3:  Administering Justice