Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Wisdom for the confusion of life 1Kings 3:4-15

The wise man is the one who realizes how little he really knows and how much he is truly dependant upon the Lord.  The wise person understands that life is too difficult without the wisdom of the Lord. 

Yes life is confusing, hard and extremely challenging.

Some people think that if they only had more money they could buy themselves out of the troubles of life.  Others believe they can get through life on their talents and natural abilities with a little bit of luck along the way.  This seems to work for some people at least for a little while but we all seem to come to a point in our life when we look at ourself and realize how futile life is.

Solomon in the Book of Ecclesiastes says that it is like "chasing after the wind."

These might be surprising words from the "Wisest" man to live.

Solomon was only a young man when he became ruler over the kingdom of Israel ruling on the throne of his father David.   In 1Kings 3 it records the conversation as God appeared to Solomon in a dream.   God said, "Ask! What shall I give you?"  1 Kings 3:5b

Solomon could ask for anything but he realized his greatest need was not victories over his enemies, or great riches and possession but wisdom and an understanding heart.   God gave him this and everything else that Solomon could have dreamed.  God was please with his request.

But that doesn't mean that Solomon always used the wisdom he was given.

Solomon is a sad story in many ways.   He had it all but his own sin led him astray.

  This reminds me of the story told of a little girl in Sunday School.

"King Solomon," Declared a little girl in Sunday school, "is my favorite character in the Bible.  He was kind to ladies and animals."

The startled teacher asked,  "Who told you that?"  "Nobody told me.  I read it myself in the Bible,"  asserted the little girl.  "It says Solomon kept seven hundred wives and three hundred porcupines."

We might laugh at the small girl but her insights uncovered Solomon's problem in life.  

Yes, it is great that we ask the Lord for wisdom as it says in James 1:5,  "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

But don't you know having wisdom and using the wisdom we have is a totally different thing.   Many of us have made mistakes just as King Solomon.   We acted or spoke without thinking things through.  Sometimes these laps have caused us and others great pain.

If you've fallen into that trap continue to seek God's wisdom, forgiveness and start again knowing that as it says in Lamentations 3:22 "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning;  Great is Your faithfulness."

Prayer:   Dear God for the mistakes I have made please forgive me and fill me with your wisdom anew that I can walk with you.

In the end, the wise person isn't the one who makes no mistakes but the one who learns from their mistakes.

These are the lessons we learn as we walk through the Word together.

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