God's wisdom needs to be applied to keep our country on the right track
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Solomon was the third king of Israel and was the third son of King David; the one God has chosen to replace King David. When the time came for David to die, he gave his son, Solomon a charge:
1 Kings 2:2-4 “I am about to go the way of all earth, he said, “so be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires. Walk in his ways and keep his decrees and commands, his law, and requirements as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do wherever you so, and that the Lord may keep his promise to me. If your decedents watch how they live and if they walk faithfully before God with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man of God on the throne of Israel.”
Solomon built a palace, a beautiful Temple of the Lord and walls around Jerusalem. He walked according to the statues of his father David.
One night, the Lord spoke to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you!” God was willing to give Solomon what he asked for.
Solomon praised God for all He had done for his father, David, and the kindness He had shown Solomon. Then Solomon said, “Oh Lord, you have made me king in place of my father David and I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Lord, give your servant an understanding and discerning heart to govern your people and distinguish between right and wrong.”
The Lord was so pleased that Solomon had asked for this, 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 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 riches and honor, so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statures and commands as David, your father did, I will give you long life.”
The purpose of wisdom
God did as He promised. The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon. This book is full of words of wisdom.
We are all teachers. We teach by what we say and do in this life, how we handle life’s trials. Solomon gave us guidance in Proverbs 3:1-26.
One of the benefits of being a Christian is you can seek God for wisdom. God-given wisdom is divine — it comes for the Holy Spirit within the believer. It is not self-seeking or one seeking man’s approval. It is strictly a gift from God used to accomplish God’s divine will.
We need God’s wisdom because we do not see the big picture how one action affects another. We do not see how our decisions affect the people around us, but God can see and always wants the best for all concerned. His desire is to draw us and others closer to him.
Wisdom applied in our lives
Wisdom is knowing what is right in the eyes of God and doing it.
Wisdom is a treasure, a gift from God to all who walk uprightly in truth and follow his precepts. Reading and meditating on the Word of God opens our eyes to truth what is good and right.
Let us share some of these gold nuggets.
Proverbs 3:1, “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.”
Proverbs 8:11, “Wisdom is more precious than rubies and nothing you desire can compare with her.”
Proverbs 23:23, “Buy the truth and don’t sell it, also wisdom, instruction, and understanding.”
Staying the course
Solomon knew the way to follow God, but despite his knowledge and God’s promises, in his older years he turned away from God. He used his riches and wisdom for his own glory. He married women outside of the covenant. These women worshipped idols and persuaded Solomon to worship idols also.
God gives us gifts and talents to use to honor Him. Let us not forget our lives influence others; stay close to the Lord and walk in truth all the days of your life.
Because Solomon allowed idol worship, it began the fall of Israel. Let us determine together we will not be the downfall of America.
This country was founded on Christian principles and God has blessed us richly. I pray we do not allow anything to take the place of the God who has blessed us with so many years of provision and protection.
Let us not forget our Maker and his love. If we know God’s Word and walk in it, we will have wisdom.
Remember, we are like sheep and we need a Shepherd. We have one, our Precious Lord Jesus Christ, Let us follow His lead.
Contact Information
Morgan County Schools of Weekday Religious Education, P.O. Box 1285 Martinsville, IN. 46151.
This article originally appeared on The Reporter Times: God's wisdom needs to be applied to keep America on the right track
