1 Kings 3:1-5: a reflection

1Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into David’s city until he had finished building his own house, the LORD’s house, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2However, the people sacrificed in the high places, because there was not yet a house built for the LORD’s name. 3Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father, except that he sacrificed and burned incense in the high places. 4The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5In Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask for what I should give you.”

The young king Solomon goes to Gibeon to sacrifice, and there God appears to him in a dream with a remarkable invitation: Ask what I shall give you. God does not tell Solomon what he must have, or grant him something unasked; he invites Solomon to ask, opening the door to his generosity, inviting the king to bring his request. It is a striking picture of God's openness to give, and his invitation to ask.

Notice God's invitation: ask what I shall give you. God did not have to invite Solomon to ask; he could simply have given, or withheld. But he opens the door, inviting Solomon to bring his request, showing his readiness to give and his desire for Solomon to ask. And what Solomon would ask for, as the story shows, mattered; the request revealed his heart. God's invitation to ask was real, an open door to his generosity, and it invited Solomon to bring what was on his heart.

That invitation, ask what I shall give you, reflects God's openness to us as well. God invites us to ask, to bring our requests to him, opening the door to his generosity. He does not want us to hold back from asking, as though he were reluctant to give; he invites us to ask. And what we ask for reveals our hearts, as Solomon's request revealed his. Do not hold back from bringing your requests to God, as though he were reluctant to give; he invites you to ask. And consider what you would ask for, if God said to you, ask what I shall give you; for your requests reveal your heart. Bring your requests to the God who invites you to ask, opening the door to his generosity; and let your asking, like Solomon's, reveal a heart that seeks the things God delights to give, rather than only lesser things. God invites you to ask; ask, and ask well, for the things that reveal a heart set on him.

Lord, the young king Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice, and there you appeared to him with a remarkable invitation: ask what I shall give you. You did not tell him what he must have, or grant something unasked; you invited him to ask, opening the door to your generosity. Show me that your invitation reflects your openness to me as well. You invite me to ask, to bring my requests to you, opening the door to your generosity. You do not want me to hold back from asking, as though you were reluctant to give; you invite me to ask. And what I ask for reveals my heart, as Solomon's request revealed his. Keep me from holding back from bringing my requests to you, as though you were reluctant to give; you invite me to ask. And help me consider what I would ask for, if you said to me, ask what I shall give you; for my requests reveal my heart. Help me bring my requests to you, who invite me to ask, opening the door to your generosity; and let my asking, like Solomon's, reveal a heart that seeks the things you delight to give, rather than only lesser things. You invite me to ask; help me ask, and ask well, Lord, for the things that reveal a heart set on you.