1 KINGS 3:1-9
The “three wish stories” are said to be repeated in almost all cultures and they all follow a similar theme: a benefactor appears and offers an unsuspecting recipient the opportunity to make three wishes. The fact that these stories are so common suggests that we all want something that we cannot achieve on our own.
We all have and make wishes. When it is raining, we wish it was sunny. When we are serve rice for dinner, some of us might wish it was pizza instead.
Wishes are not completely separate from the divine. Some historians believe that we can thank the ancient Greeks for making wishes when we blow out birthday candles. Their belief that the smoke from the candles brought prayers to the gods may have been the source of wishes when we blow the candles on our birthday cakes.
A “wishful story” occurred in our Bible text. It happened one night when the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked him to make a wish that He would grant (1 Kings 3: 5). Solomon could have asked for wealth, honour, fame, or power; but he asked nothing of these things. He asked for an understanding heart, a humble heart to listen and learn from the Word of God. The young and inexperienced king, entrusted with the responsibility of ruling a vast nation, needed the wisdom of the Lord to rule well.
Are we that wise? If God spoke to us directly and asked us what He could do for us, what would we ask? Would we prefer to ask for health, wealth, youth, power or prestige? Or would we rather ask for wisdom, holiness and love? Would we be wise or foolish?
God’s wisdom is given to all who humbly ask Him for it.
🙏Dear Lord, You faithfully provide wisdom and understanding whenever we need help and direction. Give us wisdom. Let us seek and follow Your direction and completely focus on the life You desire for us to have, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
