1 Kings 3:1-15

King Solomon, ruler of all of Israel was in a peculiar position. He was wealthy, a great ruler, and could have had his life go down a very different path. Instead, he chose to follow God and was better for it. When God appeared to him in a dream and offered to do anything in his life, Solomon could have asked for wealth, for a long life, for honor. But, Solomon asked for wisdom on how to rule his people, admitting to his weakness in not always knowing what is best. This passage wants us to know that God's wisdom is so powerful and is one of the most important things we can ask for as followers of Christ.

Now, we are not kings with thousands of people to look after and our responsibilities are not nearly as great as Solomon's; yet, we can still take meaning from Solomon's actions. When we abide in Christ, we are given insight into the wisdom of God. This means that we can ask God to show us His will for our life and the ways in which He wants to use us. Not only did God grant Solomon wisdom, but he also provided him with the wealth and honor he did not ask for. When we allow ourselves to be shown the way through God's wisdom, we can expect something greater. By seeking Christ, we have direct access to the wisdom of God through Jesus.

To allow God's wisdom to guide our lives, we have to ask for it, which brings prayer into the picture. Jesus allows us to speak directly with God, which is something not to be taken for granted - prayer can bring huge life change. We can simply ask God through prayer to share His wisdom and will for our lives. When we're in difficult situations where we're not entirely sure what to do, just as Solomon was as king of Israel, we have the ability to ask God to guide us. When we set our hearts on Christ, we can set our minds on Him as well.
 
Author | Caitlin Cooper