All These Will Be Given As Well

Asking God for what we need can be tricky to understand. We know that God knows what we need before we ask him. So then why do I need to ask God for what I need?

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14

David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.

Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David. Only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.

At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, “Ask what I should give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.

And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”

Asking Unselfishly

It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”

Ask For What You Need

Ask, seek and knock. Seek first his kingdom. The promise is that all else will be given you as well. I wonder if Jesus has this scenario in his mind when he told the crowds those words. Perhaps he had a quiet time and the lectionary had this passage in it.

We love this story because it reassures us that God knows what we need before we ask. I never noticed this before but God is the one prompting Solomon to ask him for something. Perhaps this happens as a strategic response from God to Solomon’s sacrificing in the high places. God is perhaps saying, “Why don’t you come to me and ask for what you wish? It is as simple as that. Why sacrifice innocent animals in the hopes of being given what you want.? Just come to me and ask and I will give generously to anyone who comes to me and asks. I will overlook your faults.”

What Do We Need?

I think this story stayed on Jesus’ mind. A son taking over his father’s kingdom. Asking for wisdom and guidance instead of riches and long life and the death of his enemies. As the king of His father’s kingdom, Jesus knew he only needed to ask his father for what he needed.

Summary

Article Name

All These Will Be Given As Well

Description

This story of King Solomon parallels Jesus teaching in the sermon on the mount to pursue God and trust trust to provide what we need.

Author

Java Beansoup