Can you imagine what it would be like to go to sleep and in your dream, powerfully real, have the Lord appear to you and say, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” v. 1 Kings 3:5. After I read that, I had to pause because my very first micro thought was enough money and that thought was quickly replaced with the very question I’m asking you. Can you imagine if that happened to you? Can we be real in imagining that?

Solomon experienced that very thing. Remember this is a dream. He didn’t have presence of mind to order his thoughts so his request would be pleasing to God. Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. Now, Lord, my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” v. 5-9.

Wow. I’m not sitting on a throne governing a people of God and so I can imagine the weight of that responsibility for Solomon who felt so small having never ruled before.

The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for – both wealth and honor – so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” v. 10-14.

At the very beginning of this chapter, it said that Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. v. 3. Now Solomon is hearing from God. There is continuation from father to son but can we see continuity with all of humanity in this story of us? And Who is always present with us? God teaching us and offering the help of His wisdom and love.

Now we come to one of the most recognizable stories of wisdom. 2 women come before the king for justice. Each one claims that one surviving baby is theirs and that the “other” woman has switched their dead baby for the remaining live baby. Both women are vehement in their claim for the one living baby. What does Solomon do? He asks for a sword to cut the living baby in half. Why? Because he knows, through wisdom and discernment God has given him, that the true mother will not want harm to come to her child whom she loves. The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

Can you imagine witnessing this? A powerful guard is poised with a sword to immediately carry out the ruling of the king and a crying baby is hanging in the balance! Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.” v. 16-27. I can see the true mother sobbing, receiving her baby gratefully, so thankful her precious child is returned alive to her. When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice. v. 28.

Can we today appreciate the love and wisdom of our Creator God and hold Him as our true treasure? It was said when Solomon was born that the Lord loved him, 2 Samuel 12:24. Solomon was loved by the Lord and guess what? So are we? Can we sit with that for awhile and truly marvel at that truth? Solomon was not perfect. He was loved by the Lord. We are not perfect. We are loved by the Lord. Can we love Him? He’s here. Always…the continuation of a story we are all a part of. Thank You, Lord!