What if Solomon Had Asked For Riches, or Long Life Instead of Wisdom?

“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. And 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?” 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.” 1 Kings 3:3-14

As I am writing this devotion, I am sitting in a fishing camp about fifteen miles north of Nestor Falls, Ontario. You must fly into this camp on a float plane. This is a Muskie fishing camp. There are other species of fish to catch, but most of the guests here fish for the mighty Muskie. One of my companions has come here to do just that – catch a mighty Muskie. For two years now, he has come here to catch a Muskie that is over 45 inches long. That may sound like a big fish, but to keep a Muskie, you must catch one that is 55 inches or longer. They are an imposing fish to say the least. One of my other companions caught one that was 47 inches long — and he wasn’t fishing for a Muskie. It took all of my strength to lift it out of the water and place it in the boat. It filled the one compartment of the boat it was that big. Many who come here pray that G-d will give them the opportunity to catch this fish – to catch the king of fishes – and they leave without ever catching this elusive fish. My friend did not ask for such a reward, was not seeking to catch this fish, and he receives while looking for something else.

Solomon seems to have the opportunity with G-d to do just that – ask G-d to give him the equivalent of catching a mighty Muskie. He could ask for anything – and what if he had? What if Solomon asked G-d for the king of king’s ransoms, or long life? But Solomon did not ask for such things – he asked G-d for wisdom. Seems like he already had plenty of wisdom. G-d is pleased with his request for wisdom, and as such he not only receives what he asks, he receives much, much more.
We always need to be careful what it is we ask of G-d. Sometimes we ask for patience, and we receive it in double, forced to be patient through times like our friend Job. Other times we ask G-d to save us from this experience or that, and when we are forced to go through such experiences we initially think G-d did not answer our prayers – until later we realize how much those experiences have shaped and benefited us in this life.

I guess the wisdom of this devotion is knowing and learning that when we ask G-d for something, we should not make our requests without long, careful discernment. It is true: be careful what you ask for from G-d, G-d may just give you what you ask, and then some more – and remember, “No answer” is, well, an answer.

Pastor Dave

What if Gideon Led His Troops to Water, but He Couldn’t Make Them Drink?

“Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the troops that were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was north of them, below the hill of Moreh, in the valley. The Lord said to Gideon, “The troops with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand. Israel would only take the credit away from me, saying, ‘My own hand has delivered me.’ Now therefore proclaim this in the hearing of the troops, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home.’ ” Thus Gideon sifted them out; twenty-two thousand returned, and ten thousand remained.

Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The troops are still too many; take them down to the water and I will sift them out for you there. When I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; and when I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So he brought the troops down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, “All those who lap the water with their tongues, as a dog laps, you shall put to one side; all those who kneel down to drink, putting their hands to their mouths, you shall put to the other side.” The number of those that lapped was three hundred; but all the rest of the troops knelt down to drink water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred that lapped I will deliver you, and give the Midianites into your hand. Let all the others go to their homes.” So he took the jars of the troops from their hands, and their trumpets; and he sent all the rest of Israel back to their own tents, but retained the three hundred.” Judges 7:1-8

The story of Gideon’s process for choosing his troops for battle is a story that is almost laughable. No, it is laughable. What does this mean? Couldn’t G-d have told Gideon to “choose straws”, or “roll dice”, or even “pick numbers”? Not so with G-d. But G-d is making a point. If the defeat of the Midians is to be significant and spiritually convincing, then the victory will come with the fewest number of troops available – so the defeat will not be seen as a victory of the people, but for the people — by their G-d. So what if when they came to the river, no one knelt to take a drink? I hope you understand the process that is going on between the Israelites and their G-d. Since coming into the “Promised Land”, the Israelites have had a problem doing what the Lord asks of them. And so intermittently they are subjected to lordship by other nations. In this case, the people are under the oppression of the Midianites. One day Gideon is working, trying to hide his produce from the Midians, when the Angel of the Lord comes to him and says “Gideon, the Lord is with you, you Mighty warrior…go in this might of yours and deliver your people.” Of course Gideon complains that if the Lord is with the people, then why are they servants of the Midianites. But this is the Lord – who does with what is the Lords as the Lord wishes. The Lord will punish when the Lord deems necessary, and the Lord will deliver when it is the right time.
What would Gideon have done if no one was thirsty? The whole mission depends on this one act. It is interesting how we think G-d acts in our lives. We expect great things – magnificent sunsets, convincing miracles, and grand acts of purpose. But G-d is in all things in our lives – even in, it appears, what seems to be the randomness of how people choose to drink. Even in such a small thing, G-d can be using as part of G-d’s greater purpose.

Pastor Dave