Week 20 2 Chronicles
Yesterday I was thinking about Solomon’s Choice.
The Lord: what do you want? Ask and I will give it to you
Solomon: give me wisdom and knowledge.
So when I get to the Queen of Sheba story I realize how exceptional Solomon’s gift was.
His reputation for wisdom had crossed international borders and the queen of Sheba made a state visit to see him. Why? to test Solomon with hard questions.
The queen asked and Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.
Was she impressed? when (she) realized how wise Solomon was…she was breathless.
Did he live up to his reputation? The queen told him that everything I heard about your achievements and wisdom is true.
How wise was he? Your wisdom is far greater than what I was told.
Yesterday I was questioning Solomon’s Choice. I was thinking that maybe Solomon wouldn’t have turned his back on the Lord if he’d asked for a different gift (I thought Lasting Faith was a better choice).
But the Queen of Sheba story reminds me that wisdom was a genuinely fantastic gift. Maybe Solomon did choose the best possible gift of all. Maybe Lasting Faith – permanent loyalty to the Lord – wasn’t even on-the-table.
Maybe being devoted to the Lord is a whole different category. Maybe loyalty and devotion aren’t given. Maybe they’re qualities I have to work at being.
Note: quotes from 1 Chronicles 1:7 10 9:1 2 3-4 5 6