“If you need wisdom-if you want to know what God wants you to do-ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6
He was a man who succeeded his father and became king at a young age. He built God’s temple in Jerusalem and when the Lord appeared to him in a dream asking what he wanted, he did not ask for wealth, a long life, or for his enemies to be put to death, he asked for an understanding mind. And that is exactly what the Lord gave him. ”…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!” 1 Kings 3:11-12
Number 7 on our list of things to crave-Wisdom
I am so intrigued by Solomon, here he was the wisest man to ever live, he had received discernment between what was right and wrong, and governed his people wisely, but yet in his own personal life he failed to act upon all the wisdom he was given.
It started when he made an alliance with Pharaoh and married his daughter. From there he continued to marry many foreign women (he had 700 wives and 300 hundred concubines) of who the Lord specifically instructed him not to, because they would lead him to worship their gods. He knew, he knew, he knew!
Solomon was given wisdom and discernment to know, but instead of applying it he went against it and sure enough they lead his hear t away from the Lord. In his old age they turned his heart to worship their gods instead of trusting only in the Lord his God. (1 Kings 11:2-4)
My brothers and sisters do you see that wisdom is not just having knowledge, Solomon had all of that, wisdom is the application of the knowledge you have. You can know everything there is to know but without wisdom your knowledge is meaningless!
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard people even myself say “I know this is what I am suppose to do, I know this is wrong, I know this is not what God wants” well that is great that you and I know but what are we going to do with what we know? We know we are to read the word of God-than let’s DO IT! We know when we are living in sin- stop living there and move out! We know we are sinners-than confess it! We know we are putting others and things before the Lord-so let’s stop! Jesus I know that the decisions I have made are my fault and brought on by me-His reply, “Then stop blaming others and turn to me.”
Our passage today says that if we want wisdom, if we want to know what God wants for us, than all we need to do is ask Him, and when we ask we have to believe and then apply it. God will and always does His part we have to do the same. If you are craving more wisdom stop and make sure you are already applying the wisdom you have been given, for then more will be given!
Prayer: Jesus thank you for the example given to us by Solomon, thank you for showing us that we can know everything but it is useless without wisdom. Lord may today be the day we start truly applying Your word to our lives. In Jesus name, Amen!
