Bro. Brad Gilbert is reading through Proverbs during the month of May. A chapter a day. He has invited readers not only to join in, but to post their own thoughts about each day’s chapter. Bro. Brad spent time with us at First Baptist Church of Cottondale in Texas (where I always thought of him as a youth pastor) and is now Pastor of First Baptist Church of Westland, Michigan. I believe you would find his insight interesting and valuable.Solomon loved the Lord. We are told that in 1 Kings 3:3, followed by a description of how Solomon made sacrifices to the Lord. At Gibeon, the Lord appeared to him and asked a question not recorded as given to others.
In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. [1 Kings 3:5 KJV]
Mankind usually asks of the Lord a bit of everything. The examples we’ve been given begin with thanks for what God has given us before we even thought about asking from Him. Do we thank Him before we ask? Think back over the past week. Just this one week. What have we asked of the Lord? Mostly personal?
Solomon was content with his life, but he knew he had tremendous responsibilities ahead. After acknowledging God’s place in his world, Solomon requested but one thing.
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? [1 Kings 3:9 KJV]
Note that even here the request is not for Solomon personally, but for an understanding heart to judge thy people. He didn’t ask for wisdom, as we most often give as the request, and which was displayed as a result of the request.
And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment. [1 Kings 3:28 KJV]
Keep that in mind as we join with Bro. Brad to study the writings of a man who received an understanding heart and wrote with the wisdom of God in him. A man who told us why he wrote:
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. [Proverbs 1:2-4 KJV]
As well as what results when we do:
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. [Proverbs 1:5-6 KJV]
My favorite verse in this first chapter is:
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. [Proverbs 1:10 KJV]
How much fuller, how much richer our lives are when we consent not. Consenting brings calamity and a separation from God that He knows will happen:
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: [Proverbs 1:28-29 KJV]
Let us spend some time with Proverbs and follow Isaiah’s advice.
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: [Isaiah 55:6 KJV]
Thanks for the plug, though I never was the youth pastor at Cottondale ;) I worked in Awanas once we bought that house in Springtown, and worked as a par-time youth pastor in N Richland Hills before we came here to MI.
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