Solomon was a man who had everything – fame, fortune, position, and a very bright future. He asked God for that which we all long to have…wisdom. His early years are a testament to what God can do in a life.
Unfortunately, having begun with such dignity and promise, Solomon came to a tragic end by the ill-fated choices he made. When he took the wrong path, the people God called Him to lead suffered the consequences. In 1 Kings we see that walking with God is moment by moment. We never outgrow our need to depend on Him, regardless of what we’ve gained or who we are. Personal strength is at best just human. Only the strength of the Lord sustains us.
From the Women of Faith Devotional Bible. When Solomon was starting out as king, he asked God for wisdom . . . and got it. Being the smartest man in the kingdom didn’t keep Solomon from making bad decisions. Do you think wisdom was the right thing to ask for? If not, what should Solomon have requested from God?
Comments
The scriptures tell us that we can ask for wisdom and receive it which is exactly what Solomon did. His choices, however, led him in the downward spiral. Have we not all been there at one time or another? Solomon’s story points out, again, the need to stay focused on the One who gave the gifts in the first place. How human of us to think we deserve them and are therefore “in charge”. Lord, keep us humble and always remind us that the Giver is primary and not the gift. May our relationship with you be cemented in such a way that temptations and pride do not rob us of those beautiful gifts you grant. May our love for you guide our thinking and doing.
Every good and perfect gift come from God. Solomon actually got a perfect gift from God: the gift of wisdom which he asked of the Lord. He however missed it when he forgot the giver and allowed flesh to take hold. I think he should equally have asked for God’s grace to hold steadfastly unto him as his sourc that would have kept him in perpetual communion with God and be very wary of sin even when the temptation comes knowing that God’s grace is always sufficient. He equally should have asked for the grace of humility so that he is not puffed up. Pride always go before a fall
The need to pray for discernment was the first thing which came to me and probably because this is what I have lacked many times when making dicisions.
I agree with veronica. Solomon should have asked for humility, and obedience, or, for a heart after God’s own heart, like David’s. I pray for mind and heart that stays on Him every moment, not just once an hour, that every choice would be made with His will in mind. We all need to have, by His grace, an all-consuming love for Him, that we would desire nothing more than to please Him. As they say in 12 Step programmes, “the knowledge of His will and the strength to carry it out”.
I believe Solomon did the right thing when he asked for wisdom. If he made bad decisions while having wisdom, how many more would he have made without it. It just proves that he was human, and would still make mistakes, even with God on his side.
Solomon should have asked God for grace and spiritual leadership so as to enable him to lead the people