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 walks in the ways of his father David, obeying all the commands of the Lord. 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 and makes him exceedingly great. He makes him the wisest king ever to have lived… to reign in great wisdom and honor… and to become wealthy beyond imagining. He bestows on Solomon His good and perfect gifts.
The Queen of Sheba travels a great distance to hear the words of this wise king. She asks of him all the questions on her mind. Yet no amount of testing could defeat him. Solomon answers all her questions. Nothing is too hard for him to explain.
God personally placed in Solomon’s heart His wisdom. No one could 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
God is the giver of all blessings… His good and perfect gifts just for us. He gives unsparingly to His children. He does not withhold. 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. We may believe that it has been through our own ambition, intelligence and hard work. Yet every gift, talent, opportunity and resource is given to us graciously and benevolently by the Father.
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 declared… in light of eternity, it is 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
Jesus, who turned the world’s wisdom and values upside down, said we are to seek the treasures of heaven (Matthew 6:20). Solomon chose the wisdom from God over earthly treasures. God 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 He desires for us? If we trust and believe in Him… if we walk in His ways… if we seek to honor Him with our hearts and our lives. He promises His favor for those of us who love Him.
“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
Our God is a loving and generous Father. His heart is one of tenderness and compassion. He provides richly for His children… showering us with heavenly and earthly blessings. He graces us with everything. He is the source of all that we have and all that we are.
God hears our every prayer. He understands our every need 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 perspective.
When these prayers are not answered, it is because our heavenly Father knows our requests are not His best for us. We can trust that He will protect us from what we believe we want… and instead bless us with what we truly need, both physically 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 it will be for our ultimate good and satisfy our deepest needs. We can only open our hands in grateful love and adoration. For God will bless us generously, lavishly and abundantly with His good and perfect gifts.
