“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, ‘Ask! What shall I give you?’ Solomon replied, ‘You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; and You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 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 3:5-9*).
Imagine if the Lord appeared to you and said, “What do you wish? Ask, and I will give it to you!” How would you respond? Most of us would ask for the safety of our loved ones, enough money to meet our needs, or a long life in good health. Solomon may have been tempted to ask for something similar, but he made a different request. What he asked for was a discerning heart to serve God’s people.
Solomon’s life was full of personal needs and desires, not unlike our own. However, when given the chance to ask God for anything, he prioritizes God’s interests. This request was pleasing to God, so He granted Solomon not only wisdom but also wealth and fame (see 1 Kings 3:13).
This event guides us toward Christ's words in the Gospel of Matthew: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33*).
God will not necessarily give us wealth, influence, or a long life simply because we prioritize His kingdom, but He will always be faithful to provide everything we need for His purposes. Solomon's heart was set on seeking God's kingdom and righteousness, and the Lord blessed him for that in many ways—both materially and spiritually. When we make God's priorities our own, we too will have a chance to witness how He works powerfully in our lives.
Link to the original article: https://www.intouchuk.org/read/daily-devotions
* Biblical quotes are from Bible, new translation from the original languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013