In King Solomon’s story there is a grand clue To being God’s friend … it’s for me, it’s for you The young king was tender, he loved the Lord greatly God came near in a dream to see if he was stately
“Ask what I shall give you,” bid God to the king His response holds the key that made hist’ry bells ring The ruler was humble before God’s great nation He felt like a child though he held a high station
He asked not for riches, nor honor, nor fame He wanted to rule to bring praise to God’s name He asked not for health, nor to live many years He asked God for wisdom … a heart that has ears
He asked for attunement with God’s heart and mind He put others in front and his own wants behind So God was well-pleased to answer his prayer Then added much more just to show His great care
In 1 Kings 3, we read the account of a Divine visitation to King Solomon in which he asks God for wisdom. This word in Hebrew actually pictures a “heart with ears”. And this is the very thing that Solomon asks God to give to him rather than all the other blessings he might have requested. Solomon knew that if he received the ability to know the heart and mind of God, then all the other things he would need to worship and serve God well would also be granted to him. It reminds me of the promise of God in Christ embedded in Romans 8:31-32: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
