Tuesday, March 22, 2011

If God came to you and said that he would give you one wish, what wish might that be? What would be your request? Would it be that God brings about the best marriage you could imagine? If you are single would it be to bring a mate into your life to take away the loneliness? If you are having struggles with your children at the moment would it be to create a calm and tranquil environment in your home with your children? If you have struggled with finding a job, would it be the establishment of a stable long-term job? If you are struggling with paying your bills, would you want Him to give you enough money to live on the rest of your life? What would you ask God to do for you to fulfill your wish?

The answer depends on the needs that you are experiencing at the time I suppose. Solomon in fact was faced with that exact question. “At Gibeon the lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.'” (I Kings 3:5) He (Solomon) saw his inadequacy in the lack of wisdom to lead the nation of Israel so he asked for wisdom. Most of you are aware of this request and God’s fulfillment of that request. In fact Solomon was and is known as the wisest person whom has ever lived.

What you may not be aware of is that, “He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish.” (I Kings 4:32-33). 3,000 proverbs! 1005 songs! A botanist! An arborist! An omithologist! A zoologist! A herpetologist! He truly had the mind of God to be able to talk with knowledge and understanding about any aspect of God’s creation. He was a song writer. But not just any song writer. He wrote 1005 songs. I don’t imagine there being anyone on the face of the earth past or present that has written as many songs as Solomon. Solomon is known mostly though for his proverbs. Yet in Proverbs if we take all the verses in the book and attribute them to Solomon, they would only comprise 915 proverbs of the 3,000 that he wrote. A truly an amazing man.

I have often prayed when I read through this part of the old testament that God would give me a measure of wisdom. I more fully understand that there will never be a person as wise as he was, but we can ask for wisdom as James 1 states, “If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives generously and without reproach. . .”

Today on this journey it would be helpful to have a measure of wisdom for the next steps we are to take and God is willing to give it when we ask in faith.