A Father--not Formulas

Human beings are incorrigibly preoccupied with self:  selfish, self-confident, self-conscious, self-righteous, and the list goes on.  The reason why self-help books continue to be perpetually popular is because we recognise we are the weak link, we are not completely content, and if there are benefits or life-hacks out there to improve our lives sign us up!  We are naturally bent to seek out formulas which promise to guarantee beneficial results in things like weight loss, how increase our net worth, superior cleaning products, and also in spiritual matters.  Passages from the Bible can be used like a maths equation, imagining if we plug the right good works or words into a formula God will bow to our will and provide the end result we desire.

Consider this passage in 2 Chronicles 1:7-12:  "On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask! What shall I give you?" ⁸ And Solomon said to God: "You have shown great mercy to David my father, and have made me king in his place. ⁹ Now, O LORD God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. ¹⁰ Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?" ¹¹ And God said to Solomon: "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honour or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life--but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king--¹² wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honour, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like."

God appeared to King Solomon and bid him ask for anything.  By the way, if God offered you anything what would you ask for?  Solomon wisely framed his response in light of who God was, God's promises, and in acknowledgement of his inability to rise to the great task God had called him to as king.  Solomon's request for wisdom was not so much for himself but for God and the good of His people Israel.  God was pleased by Solomon's unselfish request and graciously chose to bestow all the things upon him people naturally desire:  riches, wealth, honour, victory over his foes, and long life.  I remember at one point of my life reading this passage and foolishly making a formula out of it, imagining wisdom was the thing to ask for as the means to receive all those other things I valued more than wisdom to walk in God's ways.  There is nothing wrong with asking for wealth or for a long life in themselves, but if these are our primary desire this can be an indication we do not value the true riches God has already provided by the Gospel.

When it comes to gifts our tendency is to desire and ask for things we can use.  Since we are the LORD's, having been purchased with the blood of Jesus, it is wise for us to follow Solomon's lead to ask for what God's will is for us.  Without wisdom Solomon would never do what was right in God's sight, and therefore Solomon's request was in submission to God.  See, verse 11 shows God knew the motives of Solomon's heart:  he was not asking for His own personal benefit but for God's sake.  Having been loved and chosen by God as His anointed, King Solomon sought to be made divinely fit for the task and God graciously rewarded this humble posture with much Solomon did not ask for.  I am reminded of what Jesus said in Mark 10:29-30:  "So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, ³⁰ who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time--houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions--and in the age to come, eternal life."  To call God Father like Jesus and be loved by Him!  To have the presence of God now and the promise of eternal life with Him puts the greatest comforts the world can offer in proper perspective.