23/100 #SoWillI #Inspired

Of all the birthdays in my household, my daughter’s is the most planned and thought about. Months before the date, she always starts reminding us of how her birthday is coming up. Gift suggestions will then be thrown in the middle of every conversation. Looking back at all her birthdays I’m amazed at her growth: From dolls, to clothes, to phones, to experiences and now to themed birthday parties with her friends. (Not mine!) She always seems to know what she wants. This year however, she was left numb when her dad asked her to pick one thing! (Of course with limits, this girl can even ask for a house) She took over two weeks to decide on the one thing she wanted for her birthday. Whether what she picked was the most important or not, it was still her choice and that’s what she got.

As I write this, I don’t know what I would say if asked to state one thing that I want. I need and want so many things. Most of them can be solved with money, others need connections, others need confidence, others need an additional hour per day. Well, I have a list that I pray for daily. If you told me to pick one thing from my list right now, I would also take a while to come up with a sober answer. Sometimes I find it easier to pray for all my needs collectively than to settle and focus on one. Actually, if you wake me up in the middle of the night and ask me to state one thing, I might still end up naming three.

In the Bible, I always get challenged by the people who asked for one thing: One very important thing.

My favourite is Solomon; 1 Kings 3:4 says ‘At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’ In verse 9 Solomon asks for wisdom/ a discerning heart to govern the people and to distinguish between right and wrong. Isn’t that amazing! one wonders whether he did not have a list of needs. Or was wisdom the only thing on the list? In fact it was in a dream and he still asked for something of kingdom value. The Lord was pleased with him, He gave Solomon wisdom plus other things he did not ask for! See His response:

“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.” 

David also asks for one important thing in Psalm 27:4 “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”

Today, what is your “one thing”? Is it temporary or permanent? Is it for personal gain or for the glory of God? Is it selfish? Is the Lord so pleased with what you are asking to a point of adding you things you did not ask? If a book was to be written about you and added in the Bible, would what you are praying for right now be recorded? What is your greatest desire?

May the Lord help us all. May He open our eyes to see the one thing that we should ask for day and night. One thing that would cause us to receive other things we did not ask for.

Selah