Posted on September 1, 2021 by Catey Stover in Freedom Fighters
“At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”
1 Kings 3:5 (NKJV)
Sometimes I wish that my focus was on a perfect 90* right angle. That I could see just as far up as I do out. Unfortunately, I got those days where I can’t see any further than the brim of my baseball cap but I sure can see way out in front of me and then act a fool because there is a blind spot to my focus. What do I mean by that? Glad you asked, because I got a question for you. Do you, like me, have a worldly focus or a heavenly focus? Ponder that while I go on…
So, without the history lesson, Solomon has been made king of Israel and YHVH appears to him in a dream after a night of thousand burnt offerings and asks Solomon, “Ask! What shall I give you?” Now hang here for a sec, what if this was you and the God of the universe wants to grant you a wish. What do you ask for? Many of us may ask for the usual stuff like, hitting the lottery, get a new car, a new house, for my wife to stop making a “honey do” list (don’t tell her I put that in here), a new job, a raise at my present job, better health or world peace (yeah that’s stretch). That stuff ain’t bad stuff to ask for but apparently it wasn’t what Solomon had in mind.
“Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9)
From his point of origin (where his vertical meets his horizontal), Solomon looks out and sees that the task at hand is way beyond him, so he looks up and already knows that El Elyon is way above this all anyway. So, it’ll be at this perfect 90* right angle, this place of humility, that God will be pleased with Solomon and reply to his request in this manner…
“Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.” (1 Kings 3:11b-12)
And just to let Solomon know that his God does above and exceedingly abundant things, YHVH gives him both riches and honor “so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your day.” (1 Kings 3:13b) All he has to do is stay in God’s will and things will be just be peachy keen. All Solomon has to do from this point going forward is to guard his heart and YHVH will bless. Well for those of us who know the story, this didn’t last and things for the Nation of Israel after Solomon will go terribly awry. Sad, but true.
So, let’s get back to the question, do you, like me, have a worldly focus or a heavenly focus? Well, I’m not too sure that’s a question that gets answered with any kinda speed of light response. Why? Because we live in a fallen world and its modernized now. We got gadgets and if you’re reading this on a laptop, desktop, or cell phone you now may be guilty of materialism and that’s kinda a worldly accusation. Now I know what you could respond with, “Be serious, EVERYONE has a gadget, we can’t do things without them.” As true as that might be, imagine the world that Solomon lived in. Did he ever advise anyone on where to build a cell tower?
As comedical as a few of these points I making are is as serious as we should take them. Sometimes I think the reason we consider ourselves “spiritual” is because we live in a world full of material advancements and that it somehow gives us the freedom to be more heavenly minded. If all you had was a piano, a hymnal and a Bible do you not have enough church material to worship with? Hmm…
The next time I’m with you I’m gonna be digging into the question a bit further, so please keep the question in mind. Until then, think on what it musta been like to be given such a position like Solomon got, only to realize that this was given to you and you really weren’t part of any of the building process. To be humble enough to look out and then to look up, to square yourself up and then say “help me LORD”. Amen?
Written by Chris Hughes: Chris is a husband, a father, has an education in Biblical doctrine and is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. He has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008. You can e-mail at cphughes515@verizon.net.
Think About This: “Secularism, materialism, and the intrusive presence of things have put out the light in our souls and turned us into a generation of zombies.” – A.W. Tozer
The Daily Bible Reading: Reflection | You can download our 2021 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here.
This Week’s Verse to Memorize: 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave [f]us commandment. -1 John 3:23
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