SOME THOUGHTS ON WHAT TO ASK OF GOD

What would you do if God told you he would give you whatever you asked for in prayer? That’s exactly what happened in the life of King Solomon. Not long after he ascended to the throne of his father, David, the Bible tells us:

“The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.” (1 Kings 3:4)

This occurred before Solomon built the Temple of the Lord, and Gibeon had become the most important place of sacrifice in all of Israel. It would be the equivalent of going to the National Cathedral. He offered a sacrifice of a thousand burnt offerings. After he honored God with a sacrifice,

“God appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’” (1 Kings 3:5)

Solomon could have asked for bottomless wealth, military might, long life, or whatever his heart desired. But Solomon was a young man when he began to reign and felt unequal to the task. More than anything else, Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge to govern God’s people well. God made him the wisest man who ever lived. The Lord gave him what he asked for—and more:

“Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”” (1 Kings 3:13-14)

Solomon’s example teaches us that if we ask God for what he wants to give us, he might give us even more—but we need to ask for the right things.  Many ask for health, wealth and happiness when they should be asking for holiness or usefulness. James would later write:

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3)

It is good to ask God for what we want, but we should also ask God for what he wants.

How would your prayer life change if you began asking God for what he wants for you?



Bishop Jeff Greenway