Originally posted: 2/11/2020

What might you do, given the chance to have one wish granted? Does it sound like a Disney movie, too fantastical to believe? But this is exactly what happened in Solomon’s life.

In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you,” (3:5).

Solomon’s response however, was not what we might imagine when sitting before the big screen. Going against the predictable, Solomon asks, not for himself, but for God’s people.

“Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in…⁹ So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (3:7, 9).

Solomon was approximately twenty years of age when he found himself injected into the role of a lifetime… king of God’s chosen people! And although, he did “not know how to come in or go out,” he knew enough to ask God to grant him what was needed to accomplish his life calling: “an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil…” (3:9).

Consider Him Who Asks Us to Ask

We can learn much of Him Who Asks Us to Ask as we observe young King Solomon’s petition:

• He Asks Us to Ask on the basis of His Covenant:
  • Solomon approached the Lord, not in his own merit, but by faith in God’s declared and decided Word, His promises of the future avowed in His covenant to Solomon’s earthly father (the Davidic Covenant).
    • Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day,” (3:6).

• He Asks Us to Ask in faith and humility:
  • Solomon’s request could never be accomplished apart from God’s provision. Solomon’s appeal was presented in faith and humility through his accurate and honest assessment of both God and himself, a request wholly dependent on God and His ability alone.
    • “Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in,” (3:7).

• He Asks Us to Ask for all we need:
  • In essence, Solomon asked to rightly hear and obey God with his whole being, and to have God-given intelligence and understanding to carry out his God-given purpose in life.
    • “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (3:9).

• He Asks Us to Ask for that which will accomplish His will:
  • Although Solomon was lacking the wisdom necessary, he was wise enough to realize he was utterly incapable of fulfilling God’s will in his own abilities and skills.
    • “Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. ⁹ So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (3:8-9).

• He Asks Us to Ask, that we would please Him:
  • God granted Solomon’s desire, a desire that could only be granted by Him, a desire that greatly pleased the Lord.
    • It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing, (3:10).

• He Asks Us to Ask selflessly:
  • What Solomon asked of God reflected a heart dedicated to God’s calling rather than his own personal comfort or concerns. And God’s answer far surpassed Solomon’s selfless request.
    • God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, ¹² behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you,” (3:11-12).

• He Asks Us to Ask for that which reveals His glory:
  • His answer actually endowed Solomon with God’s very desire for His chosen leader and His chosen people: to be led by His wisdom, discernment and justice. The entire nation saw His glory revealed through His perfect provision.
    • When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice, (3:28).

How do we respond to Him Who Asks Us to Ask?

• Ask on the basis of His Covenant:
  • God hears and grants our requests when we come in faith and dependence on His declared and decided promises maintained through His Covenant as accomplished by His Son. We can come boldly with our requests when we rely on His New Covenant promises, on what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf.
    • “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it,” (John 14:13).
    • Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God… ¹⁶ Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” (Hebrews 4:14, 16).

• Ask in faith and humility:
  • God hears our prayers as we approach Him in humility and faith, realizing our complete inability to do anything except by His great grace and strength.
    • “Then he said to me, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words,’” (Daniel 10:12).
    • “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 18:3).
    • I can do all things through Him who strengthens me, (Philippians 4:13).

• Ask for all we need:
  • We can be fearlessly confident He will graciously supply our needs, for He has promised us in His Word. And even in the times when we are unsure of exactly what to ask, we can trust His provision, even for our asking.
    • In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ²⁷ and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God, (Romans 8:26-27),
    •  And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 4:19).

• Ask for that which will accomplish His will:
  • God invites us to experience and enjoy His Presence. As we commune with Him daily, He works to transform our hearts’ desires into His. The more we desire Him, the more we desire His will.
    • Delight yourself in the Lord;
      And He will give you the desires of your heart, (Psalm 37:4).
    • And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect, (Romans 12:2).

• Ask, that we would please Him:
  • Given the opportunity to have any wish granted, Solomon desired the Lord’s will above his own. In reality, God gives us the same opportunity, and in essence says, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.” The amazing thing is we can even bring Him pleasure in our petitions! Asking in faith, with absolute assurance in His faithfulness, pleases Him.
    • And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him, (Hebrews 11:6).

• Ask selflessly:
  • Solomon brought God glory as his request put God’s people above his own desires. And God answered beyond Solomon’s wildest dreams and expectations!
    • God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself… ¹³ I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days,” (3:10, 13).
    • “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are My friends if you do what I command you,” (John 15:12-14 emphasis added).

• Ask for that which reveals His glory:
  • Just as Solomon brought God glory as he walked in God’s wisdom, we too bring Him glory as we live to display His wisdom and works through our life calling.
    • “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven,” (Matthew 5:16).
    • …whatever you do, do all to the glory of God, (1 Corinthians 10:31).

God Asks Us to Ask Him, and He desires so much more for us than we even desire for ourselves. We can wholeheartedly place our faith in Him Who Asks Us to Ask, even beyond what we could ever imagine!

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, (Hebrews 11:1).

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, ²¹ to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen, (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Let’s Grow Together!