OUR HEAVENLY FATHER BLESSES HIS CHILDREN ABUNDANTLY
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Solomon, son of King David and king of all Israel, has been given the privilege and challenge of leading God’s people. Solomon seeks to walk in the ways of his father David, obeying the commands of the Lord (1 Kings 3:3). He desires to be a king worthy in the eyes of God. One night, the Lord appears to him in a dream…
“Ask for whatever you want Me to give you…”
“Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of Yours?…”
“Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern My people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” – 2 Chronicles 1:7, 10-12
God is pleased with Solomon’s noble request. With His heart of generosity, He blesses beyond expectation. He makes this king exceedingly great, the wisest ever to have lived… to reign in great wisdom and honor… and to become extraordinarily wealthy. He bestows on Solomon His good and perfect gifts.
The Queen of Sheba travels a vast distance to hear the words of this wise king. She asks of him all the questions on her mind. Yet no amount of testing can defeat him. Solomon answers all her questions. Nothing is too challenging for him to explain.
God personally places in Solomon’s heart His wisdom. No one is able to refute this king. When God gives to His children, He gives in abundance. His gifts are over and above all that we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” – James 1:17
What the world values is in opposition to the values of the kingdom of God. Worldly power, prestige and possessions bring no lasting happiness. They will not satisfy our spirits.
We may look with pride at all our accomplishments, our achievements, our possessions, believing all has been through our own ambition, intelligence, hard work. Yet every gift, talent, opportunity and resource is given to us graciously and benevolently by God. He is the giver of all blessings… His bountiful gifts He gives unsparingly to His children. He does not withhold.
In our lives, we look to the giver rather than the gifts. We seek not just His presents to us but His presence with us. For without God, all that we have and all that we do is as nothing. As Solomon in all his wisdom discovered… in light of eternity, it is meaningless… like chasing after the wind (Ecclesiastes 2:11).
“The Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” – Psalm 84:11
Solomon recognized the enduring value of God’s wisdom over earthly treasures. Jesus, who turned the world’s wisdom and values upside down, said we are to seek the treasures of heaven (Matthew 6:20). For the Lord honors our requests when we ask in accordance with His will. He longs to bless us with His good and perfect gifts.
How do we know we are praying in line with what God desires for us? To all who love Him… who trust and believe in Him… who walk in His ways… who seek to honor Him with their hearts and lives, He promises His favor and blessings.
“If your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.” – Matthew 7:9-11
God is a loving and generous Father, with a heart of tenderness and compassion. He provides richly for His children… showering us with heavenly and earthly blessings. He graces us in abundance. He is the source of all that we have and all that we are.
God hears our every prayer, understanding our needs before we even ask. He promises us His abundant life (John 10:10). Yet sometimes we ask Him for “stones” or “snakes”… only because we see everything from our limited, mortal perspective.
We may wonder why our prayers are not answered. It is because our heavenly Father knows our requests are not His eternal best for us. We trust that He will protect us from what we believe we want… and instead bless us with what we truly need, both materially and spiritually.
“God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” – 2 Corinthians 9:8
God answers our prayers in His perfect wisdom and divine omniscience. When we call upon Him, He will answer us… often in unexpected ways… or in ways beyond our imagining. Yet His answers will be for our ultimate good, satisfying our deepest needs. We can only open our hands and accept with grateful love and adoration. For God will bless us lavishly and generously with His excellent and precious gifts.
† Eternal Takeaway – Our Lord is the source of all good and perfect gifts †
