Wisdom
Olusola David, Ayibiowu. Wisdom, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57583 [retrieved August 13, 2021]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Artist_Olusola_David_Ayibiowu_Title_WISDOM.jpg.
My mother prayed on her knees at midday, at night, and first thing in the morning. Every day opened up to her to have God’s will done in it. Every night she totted up what she’d done and said and thought, to see how it squared with Him. That kind of life is dreary, people think, but they’re missing the point. For one thing such a life can never be boring. And nothing can happen to you that you can’t make sense of. Even if you’re racked by troubles, and sick and poor and ugly, you’ve got your soul to carry through life like a treasure on a platter. Going upstairs to pray after the noon meal, my mother would be full of energy and expectation, seriously smiling.
Alice Munro - Imaging the Word An Arts and Lectionary Resource, Volume 3
Alice Munro - Imaging the Word An Arts and Lectionary Resource, Volume 3
Living out the Text: What do you want from God?
When David passed away, his son, Solomon, became king in his place. In 1 Kings 3, we see Solomon at the beginning of his reign. Notice what the Bible says about him in verse 3. Solomon loved the Lord and walked in the ways of his father David.
God came to Solomon and asked what he wanted. Solomon could have chosen anything, he could have chosen power over other nations, success for his armies, economic growth and prosperity, personal wealth, or anything else. Remember what the Bible says about him in verse 3, though. Solomon loved God and followed what he had learned from his father, David. Instead of all these other things, Solomon chose to ask God for wisdom to live rightly, to govern the people well, and to serve God well.
We frequently think about things we want. Maybe it’s a better job, more money, problems to go away, physical, mental, or emotional healing, or a variety of other things. When Solomon was presented with this question he thought about it not in terms of what he could get for himself, but rather how he could serve God best. Solomon had his priorities, what are ours?
David W. Dalton
When David passed away, his son, Solomon, became king in his place. In 1 Kings 3, we see Solomon at the beginning of his reign. Notice what the Bible says about him in verse 3. Solomon loved the Lord and walked in the ways of his father David.
God came to Solomon and asked what he wanted. Solomon could have chosen anything, he could have chosen power over other nations, success for his armies, economic growth and prosperity, personal wealth, or anything else. Remember what the Bible says about him in verse 3, though. Solomon loved God and followed what he had learned from his father, David. Instead of all these other things, Solomon chose to ask God for wisdom to live rightly, to govern the people well, and to serve God well.
We frequently think about things we want. Maybe it’s a better job, more money, problems to go away, physical, mental, or emotional healing, or a variety of other things. When Solomon was presented with this question he thought about it not in terms of what he could get for himself, but rather how he could serve God best. Solomon had his priorities, what are ours?
David W. Dalton