“Solomon loved the Lord… God said, ‘Ask what I shall give you.‘ Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father… And you have… given him a son to sit on his throne.., although I am but a child. I do not know how to go out or come in. [I am] in the midst of your people.., too many to be numbered… Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern your great people?’
“God said,.. ‘I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you [nor] shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you.’” 1 Kings 3:3,5-8,11-13
“Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, let me recover my sight.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.” Mark 10:51-52
King David had just died, and Solomon had inherited the kingdom. When the Lord appeared and asked what He should give him, Solomon humbly recounted His steadfast love to David and, admitting his inadequacy to serve God’s great people as king, asked for wisdom. Bartimaeus the blind beggar, when asked by Jesus what he wanted Him to do for him, boldly asked for recovered sight. Both royalty and pauper acknowledged his own inability, and confidence in the One they knew was able and willing to do what they asked. And they received beyond their imagining. (1 Kings 4:29-34)
How and what do we ask of God? Provincial thinking and narrow, selfish living can reduce potential prayers to wish lists for ease and smooth sailing. We might live with such limited vision that we cannot imagine possibilities beyond our conventional, manicured scope.
Or, we might be in such desperate longtime straits that we cannot envision anything different. Why ask God when things never change? Certainly there’s no broader purpose or anything deeper I’m to learn about myself or Him when all I can do is survive?
We limit hope before the limitless God! Do we think too much of ourselves and too little of Him? Why settle for spiritual mediocrity? We converse with an all-powerful king! Why do we ask so little?
What if we approached prayer as a mendicant before the benevolent, merciful Sovereign of the universe? In glorious splendor, compassion, and generosity. He inquires what He can do for us. What would we ask if we could have anything possible, knowing His ways are higher than ours, His plans good, eternal, and sanctifying? (Isaiah 55:8-9; Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28-30; Philippians 4:19)
What particular wisdom, patience, or grace do we lack in home and workplace? What physical or material needs are distracting and burdensome? What angst over loved ones do we carry alone? Would we ask Jesus? Would we trust His love, mercy, desire, and bounty? What do we have not because we have asked not? (Matthew 7:7-8; James 4:2-3)
Ephesians 3:20-21
Lord, may I boldly ask and ever be grateful and amazed at Your abundantly more.
