For the Love of Us All

WHAT WOULD YOU ASK FOR

As David was dying

He bestowed on his son, Solomon, his kingship

And he told his son-Solomon

To walk in the ways of the Lord

And to keep God’s laws and requirements

As written

In the book of Moses

And that

God would “keep his promise”

That someone from David’s descendants

Would always sit on the throne

After David does in fact die

The Lord appears to Solomon and says,

“Ask for whatever you want me

To give to you”                                             1 Kings 3:5

So Solomon asks for,

“A discerning heart

To govern your people

And to distinguish between right and wrong”                                1 Kings 3:9

In other words---WISDOM

God was so pleased

With Solomon’s answer

That he bestows on him,

“Riches and honor

So that in your lifetime

You will have no equal among kings”                              1 Kings 3:13

If you were Solomon

What would you have asked for

Basically, wisdom is practical insight

The skill of living successfully

And it begins

With FEAR OF THE LORD

In Solomon’s own words, he writes,

“The FEAR of the Lord

Is the beginning of knowledge

For fools despise wisdom and discipline”                              Proverbs 1:7

Unfortunately for Solomon

He made some bad choices with women

Is there any of us men

That can’t identify with that

At least once in our life

The Bible says

That he-Solomon-had over 700 wives

And as he grew older

He let his wives

Turn his heart toward other gods

And that his heart

Was NOT fully devoted

To the one true God

As his father-David’s-had been

So Solomon---As ADAM did before him

Chose to follow a woman over God

God becomes angry at Solomon

Because he DID NOT keep his covenant

With God

So God

Let’s his kingdom become divided

HOW MANY of us

Have become LOST in life

BOTH men and women

By becoming enamored with someone of the opposite sex

With a dubious reputation

So dear friends---like Solomon before us

We pray for WISDOM

But NOT just any wisdom

We pray for SPIRITUAL WISDOM

And the FAITH to see it through

“The man

Without the spirit

Does not accept the things

That come from the spirit of God

For they are foolishness to him

And he cannot understand them

Because they are spiritually discerned”                              1 Corinthians 2:14

Dear Lord, humbly, we your people

Ask you for one more thing

That the SPIRIT OF GOD

BE PRESENT IN OUR LIVES

In Jesus’ name, we pray…….

Robert P. Wallman

3-22-12