A Year of Sundays: Week 6

Sunday 6: The Second Sunday of Christmas

Enter any major mall in the month of December and you will find a Santa Claus photo op. At my local mall, I was shocked to see the line of customers wind and stretch through the corner of the mall where Santa was located. Parents deal with crying, tired children for the fun moment when Santa looks down at the child and asks "What would you like for Christmas?" Parents lean in to hear the child's request, hoping it is something that they can provide.

In this context there seems to be a sort of familiarity to today's Old Testament reading. God approaches King Solomon in a dream and tells him “Ask for whatever you want me to give you” (1 Kings 3:5, NIV).

If we are being honest, we probably love the idea of God offering us the equivalent of a blank check. The season is inundated with it! We pull the wish bone and breaks in our favor - fate has fallen in our favor. We feel like we have the right to ask Santa for something because we have been good boys and girls. We make resolutions and promise to ourselves that we will make our goals come true because we are strong enough to take care of ourselves.  Lord, help us.

Solomon knew himself well enough to know what he really needed, so he told God:

Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:7-9, NIV)

Solomon's request was incredibly humble.  He had enough discernment to know a major task laid before him, yet he asked for [more] wisdom.

God was pleased with Solomon's request. He did not ask for something that benefitted him or that crippled his enemy. He asked for that which would benefit God's people, and was rewarded with personal benefit as well.

As I consider the things I ask God for, I must ask myself what my motivation is.  Do I ask for things which benefit others, or do I ask for things that appear to benefit others while really hoping God will give me what I want for myself instead? 

I pray for discernment as I consider these things.