Let me be upfront and ask you a question. Can I? If God were to come down to earth physically and asked you, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you,” what would you say? Pause and think about this. I figure this might be a way to fast-track a long-standing request, right? Smart move. Or ask for big purchase items such as a house, a car or something glamorous like that? Good stuff to own. Or maybe ask God to get that thorn-in-the-flesh enemy off your back… urgh! Wouldn't that be cool?We all know about Solomon’s fabulous request for wisdom when God asked him that question in a dream, 1 Kings 3: 5-15. Solomon’s request was so unique and touching that God decided to utterly bless him such that he would be known today as the wisest and richest man ever lived.
Some preachers, Sunday School teachers have taught that wisdom be the ultimate request a Christian could ever ask for if God asked a similar question. I humbly beg to differ. With all his wisdom, Solomon allowed himself to be strayed by the idolatrous practices of his non-Israelite wives such that he wasn’t wholeheartedly devoted to God to the end, 1 Kings 11:1-13, especially verses 3-6. This is not to say that wisdom is not important, it is.
I don’t know whether I’ll change my mind in a year or two but I hope not. I’ve soberly thought through this for quite sometime now. I’ll ask for a humble heart so that I’ll be able to stay faithful to God, to love and serve Him all my life.
Are you crazy? You say. Of all the good things God could offer why would you ask for something that is spurned by the world as a ‘weak’ virtue?
When you love God wholeheartedly, He blesses you in the good times and the not-so-good times, right? That’s a fact. God loves to give good gifts to His children.
“I travelled to China and won the business bid, then got another contract in Kuwait. Canada is next!”
“See the degrees, publications and conferences to my name! You sure don’t know how hard I worked to become Very Reverend Prof...”
“Can you believe that I’m 75 years old? The other day, somebody saw me and thought I was in my 50s! By the way, did I tell you our youngest son and his wife had twins last week? I’m a twinie grand-mom!”
Sounds vaguely familiar? Certainly you probably are not as old as the 75 year granny or probably have never stepped beyond the shores of your country before. But in other ways we may have reasoned along similar lines. I know my own human tendency to get swollen-headed by accomplishments to that point that I think that I don’t need God. That was one thing God warned Israel against in Deuteronomy 8:10-18, linger a while at verses 13-14.
You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth and so confirms his covenant, which He swore to your forefathers, as it is today. Deuteronomy 8:17-18
Selah.
I’ve read how quick Israel was to turn away from God to their own ways and idol worship time and time again. I’ve seen this in myself too, especially when all goes on well.
The greatest command is to love God unreservedly, Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and the first commandment is to serve Him only, Exodus 20:1-4. Jesus Christ confirmed it Himself, Mark 12:28-34. Loving God with actions does not come easy for me but John says it’s important too, 1 John 3:18. I believe true love is proved by faithful service, so the two go hand in hand. Although sometimes service can be provided without love.... but I digress. I hope you're not lost. :) So back to the point:
What’s the ultimate thing you’d ask God for?
Selah,
Lady Akofa.
Note: As I have already mentioned it took me quite sometime to come to this point. Don't get me wrong, there are days that I'm not particularly humble, loving or enthusiastic in serving God or others. But this is an ongoing prayer and I'm hoping that I walk the talk everyday.
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