May the mumbling commence!
There’s nothing like answered
prayer. Sometimes, we feel like we wait
forever and get no answer either way.
Sometimes, we feel like the answer is yes – sometimes no.
And sometimes – sometimes we miss the Lord’s
answer because we do not look for it in the right places. Sometimes the Lord answers our prayers in a
way that we do not expect. Let’s
carefully look at the exchange between Solomon and the Lord early on in
Solomon’s reign as king of Israel. Read
from First Kings chapter three:
Solomon loved the
Lord and followed all the
instructions of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered
sacrifices and burned incense at the local altars. The most important of these altars was at
Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed one thousand burnt offerings. That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, "What do you
want? Ask, and I will give it to you!"
Solomon replied, "You were wonderfully kind to my father, David,
because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued this
great kindness to him today by giving him a son to succeed him. O Lord my
God, now you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a
little child who doesn't know his way around.
And here I am among your own chosen people, a nation so great they are
too numerous to count! Give me an understanding mind so that I
can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.
For who by himself is able to govern this great nation of yours?"
The Lord was pleased with Solomon's reply and was glad
that he had asked for wisdom. So God
replied, "Because
you have asked for wisdom in governing my people and have not asked for a long
life or riches for yourself or the death of your enemies – I will give you
what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding mind such as no
one else has ever had or ever will have!
And I will also give you what you did not ask for – riches and honor! No
other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your
life! And if you follow me
and obey my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you
a long life."
Then Solomon woke
up and realized it had been a dream. He
returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Lord's covenant,
where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he invited all his officials to a great banquet.
(Verses 3-15)
Solomon walked in the footsteps of
his father David. That’s great –
mostly. But, there is an exception. Isn't there always an exception? Solomon did not come into the presence of the
Lord when he made sacrifices. He went to
Gibeon.
Still, God came to Solomon in a
dream. And the Lord gave Solomon a blank
check. Solomon could have anything that
he wanted from God. Youth often request
immediate stuff – like riches, long life or the death of enemies. And Solomon was young. He knew it, so he asked for an understanding
mind so that he could do his job as king of Israel.
Solomon asked for wisdom. And the Lord gave him wisdom immediately…
along with riches and honor and long life.
Solomon immediately took advantage of his newfound wisdom and proceeded
to return to Jerusalem to worship before the Ark of the Lord’s covenant. No longer was he straying from the ways of
his father David, a man after God’s heart.
Wise decisions take some tact and
discernment. Wisdom calls for a careful
balance. Paul had vehemently denied that
Gentiles needed to obey the entire Law of Moses. He insisted that all people are saved by faith
in the grace of the Lord Jesus. Yet, he
did make some concessions. Read from
Acts chapter sixteen:
Paul and Silas went first to Derbe and then on to Lystra.
There they met
Timothy, a young disciple whose mother was a Jewish believer, but whose father
was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of
by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on
their journey. In deference to the Jews
of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for
everyone knew that his father was a Greek. Then they went from town to town, explaining
the decision regarding the commandments that were to be obeyed, as decided by
the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. So
the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew daily in numbers.
(Verses 1-5)
Timothy’s father was a Greek. Everyone knew it. Paul wanted to remove a potential stumbling
block for people by circumcising Timothy.
Circumcision preceded the Law, but Paul also argued there was no value
in circumcision. Yet, Paul conceded to
the Jews of the area the need for Timothy’s circumcision.
All of these concessions to ensure that the Good
News was preached to everyone! What
wisdom!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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