Solomon
Open Your Bible
1 Kings 3:1-28, 1 Kings 8:54-66, 1 Kings 9:1-9, James 3:13-18
BY Lore Ferguson Wilbert
I have asked for many things in my life—a home, children, a spouse, a car that doesn’t break down, financial means to pay off my school loans, good friends, a few acres in the country. God has given me a few of these blessings, and some He still has not and might not ever. But it is rare for me to ask God for the intangible things. I like measurable. I like quantifiable. It’s difficult to measure wisdom or quantify humility or capture joy long enough to know it’s real. What’s more, the means to come by those qualities are often difficult and wrought with pain, and I don’t like pain.
God sometimes gives His people tangible gifts in an instant. It only took me three seconds to meet my husband. Two seconds to sign my name on a contract to buy our home. One second to click, “Pay in full,” on my student loans.
The gift of wisdom, though? Not so much. Wisdom takes a lifetime.
But not for Solomon. Solomon asked for wisdom, and Scripture says God gave it to him, right then and there. He told Solomon, “I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again” (1 Kings 3:12). For most of us, those qualities take a lifetime to develop and hone, but because Solomon’s heart desired the right thing—to please and honor God by living with wisdom and understanding—God gave it to him.
There is a kind of wisdom that is not of God; James calls it “earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice” (James 3:15–16). I often find that my desire for what I think is a good, tangible blessing often brings disorder to my affections. It seems that as soon as I get “the thing,” I forget the Giver of every good thing. But there is another kind of wisdom, the kind Solomon sought:
“Wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace” (vv.17–18).
Would things we long for change if we first asked for wisdom from above, trusting God to meet our truest needs with a gift that cannot be quantified? Solomon’s desire for riches or houses were rightly ordered under his desire for wisdom. God honored that desire and gave it to him, and I want to be like that too.
24 thoughts on "Solomon"
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I love this.
What are we holding on to that are “other gods” taking away time from serving & focusing on our one true God? Like in 1 King’s 9:9
Good thoughts to reflect on & think critically about throughout our days to recognize what we are clinging to or holding on to that is not of God, maybe seems harmless but is taking away our focus from God or serving a habit that is not from God…? Good things to examine our lives for.This reading is SO good!!! Be blessed & have joyful days!
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“However.” “But.” “If.” “Then.”
Small words with great impact.
Solomon was building the temple HOWEVER the people were offering sacrifice on the high places.
Solomon loved the Lord by walking in the statutes of David BUT he also offered sacrifices on the high places.
The Lord tells Solomon he will give him the wisdom he requested. IF Solomon walked in the Lord’s ways, he would be given a long life.
Solomon finishes building the temple and the Lord appears to him again. IF Solomon and his sons don’t follow the Lord and keep His commands, they will lose it all. THEN all of the other nations will scoff and ridicule as they view the ruins of Israel.
Four little words. Great impact. I would do well to consider them for myself.
HOWEVER: where am I compromising my Christian walk? Have I truly submitted all?
BUT: what excuses do I make? What rationalizations do I tolerate?
IF: do I think of the consequences, the blessings and yes the curses, that come from my decisions/choices?
THEN: do I thank the Lord for His discipline for it has the opportunity to bring a course change?
Lord, give me wisdom as I answer each of these questions.
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Amen
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Thank you Churchmouse, I look for your contributions. Always something to think about. Blessings to you!
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Ditto!
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God help me to open my heart to you to be more like you . To truly desire your ways and have your thoughts.
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There are 4 posts at the time of my reading this morning. As I have read each one I have thought how nice it would be to sit down with a cup of tea or coffee together and share. Ladies your open hearts, search for wisdom, and desire to grow and learn at the feet of Jesus and through His Word are beautiful. Praise God for each one of you. He created you, fearfully and wonderfully and I am thankful for the blessing of SRT and the internet to allow us to share our hearts.
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Angie, I thought the same thing. Or at least similar. I’m longing for the day that one day we shall all meet. When we are altogether with Jesus.
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❤️
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I so agree, Angie. Would love to share face to face!
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❤️
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The way Solomon’s walk before God went off the rails in the end has always made me think that he had “head knowledge” not “heart knowledge.” But, it’s not that easy, is it? Solomon asked for, and received, “a receptive heart to judge your people and discern between good and evil” God granted him a “wise and understanding HEART”. I need to think about this for a while – how, if Solomon’s HEART was wise and understanding, could he marry so many foreign women and offer sacrifices in the high places? These were the seeds that destroyed Israel. And, God appeared to Solomon after he had gone and offered a thousand sacrifices in the high places and married Pharaoh’s daughter. He had already begun on the path that led Israel (and himself) astray. God is so gracious to bless us even when we still have sin in our lives that will eventually lead us away from Him if left unattended to.
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Connecting this story to one we read here a few days ago. My husband just preached a sermon this past weekend on Bathsheba. And he mentioned how many of the proverbs begin with “my mother taught me this…” Even Proverbs 31. I didn’t know this, but Solomon has a throne placed beside his own for his mother. So, God probably answered his prayer for wisdom with the whisperings of his mother over the years. How amazing is that! Those of us that are mothers, let us prayerfully take seriously the task of imparting wisdom to our children, it is a gift of God!
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I find it significant that God came to Solomon in a dream. He encountered others when they were awake, but He approached Solomon in a dream. When He asked Solomon what he wanted God to give him he answered wisdom. That speaks to me that it was a deep desire in Solomon. Perhaps if he was awake he would request wisdom, thinking that is what God would want him to ask for or that it was what he ought to ask for. In a dream it seems to me that he would answer what was his true desire. Does that make sense?
Sometimes I think I play games with God and try to say what I think He wants to hear. Of course, He already knows our hearts and playing games just wastes time. In our unguarded moments we can be truly honest with God and tell Him what we really think. He already knows, but it is important that we are honest with ourselves. It is then that our relationship with God can grow and develop.
Good Tuesday to you from Virginia where there is rain and cooler temps today. That is most welcome!
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Such good perspective!!
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Amen, Bessie, to your insights as well as the relief from the high humidity and temperatures…I live in NOVA as well!
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This is such a wonderfully eye-opening insight, Bessie. Thank you!
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Yes, I definitely need God’s wisdom! Thankfully, if we ask, He is faithful to give it to us!
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