My eight-year-old wants to fly. I don’t mean fly airplanes, I mean physically fly. Like a bird.
For months she would pray at night for God to give her the ability to fly. Eventually she stopped asking, but if the Lord asked her today what she wanted more than anything in the world, she would choose to fly over wisdom for sure.
I have often wondered what I would say if God came to me as He did to Solomon (see 1 Kings 3:5), offering anything the heart desired. I would like to say I would ask for wisdom, but I am not sure. After all, flying sounds pretty amazing, too.
What strikes me about Solomon’s request is that he already must have had a pretty healthy dose of wisdom in order to respond the way he did.
We read the Scripture like a story and recognize the brilliance in the answer, but I don’t think I have ever really appreciated how genius the answer really was. He asked for wisdom—which encapsulates not only knowledge but the ability to use that knowledge appropriately.
In biblical terms, wisdom is not just general, but rather it is specific to knowing God as well. And with that knowledge and ability to use it come all the other things a king could aspire towards.
What is your heart’s desire? What do you long for at your heart’s core? Is it something tangible? Relational? Emotional? Physical? Not many of us have full-scale conversations with the Lord akin to that of Solomon, but we all have to ability to come to the Lord and place our request before Him. Nothing is too big or too small for Our Lord.
And just as He wanted the best for the Israelites, He wants the best for you as well.
Nothing is too big or too small for Our Lord. // Dr. MaryRuth Hackett Click To Tweet
These days present an unparalleled opportunity for us to rise up, stand on our feet, and take wise, courageous action. Solomon resisted the temptation to self-indulgence, personal and dynastic security and craven ambition. He asked for wisdom to exercise his kingship. As was pointed out, biblical wisdom is not detached speculation divorced from the responsibility to act. Solomon’s and our call is to live out our covenant responsibility to Almighty God. When God made the covenant with the People of Israel, God told them what to DO, not what to believe. When Jesus was asked what one must do to be saved, he answered, “Go, sell all you have, give it to the poor, and follow me.” He’s telling us what to DO, not what to believe. We are spending too much energy today complaining and moaning about our circumstances. When Moses stood on the banks of the Red Sea, God said to him, “Why are you standing there crying out to me? Tell the people to move forward.” The prophet Micah said, “ You have been told, O mortal, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8, NABRE) Years ago when I was overwhelmed with the work of a mother with young children and babies, I sat down in the middle of toys and laundry and dirty dishes, crying with exhaustion and panic. My husband came home from his shift on the police department and I cried out to him, “I just don’t know what to DO?!” He said, “Mary Ann, just pick one thing and do it.” And then he pitched in and helped me. This is how God works. Jesus told us that God is at work and he is at work and so WE must be at work. There’s plenty to do. We KNOW what to do, if we listen, that is. All we have to do is pick one of the things staring us in the face and DO IT. God is love, but love is not sentiment. It is ACTION.
thanks for sharing, sister
I did not receive th emails for Friday & Saturday of this week. How come that happened? I truly miss that.
so sorry, sister! email [email protected] . net for help!