Seek The Giver

Give your servant a discerning heart to distinguish between right and wrong. 1 Kings 3.9.

At Gibeon, the LORD appeared to King Solomon during the night in a dream and said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Solomon said, “Give your servant a discerning heart to distinguish between right and wrong.” Mind you, Solomon was only a lad! He had just assumed a man’s job – of being a king. Wasn’t it a sensible and wise request? Probably not the kind you and I pray everyday!

Let us consider God’s favour on Solomon. Wouldn’t you like to have God appear when you are in some kind of great need? Though we believe in Solomon’s God, we think that He is so remote, unapproachable and often difficult to contact. Let us try and learn some great and lasting lessons from this incident of God appearing to Solomon.

Solomon, of all King David’s sons (some were older and more handsome than him), was determined to seek the LORD GOD of his godly father. Though already a king, we see him going all the way from Jerusalem to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. He had a great desire to know the Lord and had a heart full of love for Him. He made time from his important kingly schedule to seek after God. He was also so lavish in his offerings to God.

Compare Solomon with us. We can’t find a few quiet moments to be with God each day. We don’t even offer a few words of sacrifices of praise to Him daily, let alone parting with our money or using our talents! Do you wonder why your God is so distant and impersonal and you do not find Him when you need Him? Solomon was in the right place doing the right thing that pleased the Lord. God came to meet him!

Though God hasn’t appeared in person or in a dream, we have experienced this presence and intervention of God in our lives many a time as individuals and as a family. The Bible says, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near” (Isa 55.6). The Lord once told Israel, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer 29.13).

Do you know what your problem is? You seek the ‘gift and not THE GIVER!” You do not seek God or offer praises to Him like Solomon and you wonder why God was so partial to him to meet him and offer him ‘whatever he wished!”

Dear believer, start today to be like Solomon (during his younger days) and you will be surprised when God meets you. When He comes He will give you all that you need!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, forgive me for me for not making the time to seek your face each day with devotion and sacrifice. Give me a hunger and thirst for You! Amen.