What Do You Want from God?

After his father David died, Solomon became the king of Israel. He was probably around twenty years old. On a day after Solomon had offered a thousand burnt offerings to the LORD, God appeared to Solomon that night and said to him, "Ask what I shall give thee."

Solomon was in his early twenties. What kinds of things are on the minds of most people that age? Well, I myself am twenty so I think I have a pretty good idea. Many young people my age are concerned with very trivial things. They believe their status depends on having the best and being the best -- the most stylish clothes, the greatest car, the best "friends," having the best ability in brawn, beauty, even brains, and enjoying as much of the other overrated pleasures this world has to offer as they can. Those things are not wrong, but they must be kept in their place and we must not become consumed with them. We need to focus more upon the underrated treasures of life: our family, our relationship with the Lord, our church, the Bible, and the simple blessings God gives us each day. Those are the things that really matter. We need to realize how rich we really are, live Godly lives, and be content.

Other young people my age are thinking about the decisions they are required to make during this period of their lives. What is foremost in my own mind is being in God's will each and every day. I am constantly thinking about the changes that are approaching in my life and I am concerned that I make only the one right choice in each situation.

What was on Solomon's mind during this intense period of his life? He was only twenty years old and the king of an entire country. He had everything. He had access to all of those overrated pleasures life has to offer to every young person. And God was offering him more! Whatever his heart desired, he had only to ask God and he would get it. Nothing would be withheld from him. What would you ask for if you were in his place? Think about it. What matters most to you? What would your immediate request be?

If we were honest, something selfish is what many of us would choose. But personal pleasure was not what Solomon wanted. That was not what was in Solomon's heart. Solomon had just sacrificed a thousand burnt offerings to the LORD. Solomon was earnestly seeking his God. Unlike many kings that would come after him, Solomon desired to be a righteous king that ruled God's chosen people in truth, mercy, and honor. The weight of his responsibility hung on him heavily. The one thing he longed for above all -- above riches, above fame, above anything -- was wisdom. He cried out, "O God, give me wisdom! I cannot live without it!"

Wisdom? Many 20-year-old young people today would scoff. "What is that going to get me? Why would I want wisdom?" 

So, let me ask you: Why should you want wisdom?

Wisdom will keep you from destroying your life. If you are saved, Satan is out to ruin you, and he knows that at this point in your life you are not concerned about making right decisions as you should be. You have not experienced the pain and loss of poor choices that your parents have perhaps made in the past. You do not realize just how much hangs in the balance. You are a prime target for Satan's wrath. He wants to destroy any potential you have for living in God's goodness and mercy all the days of your life.

Please understand this! You do not have to make the foolish decisions other people make! You do not have to live in defeat and regret from the time you are 25 until you maybe find peace with your past when you are in middle age. Please see that there is a better way!

Those who want to make right choices in life are seeking wisdom, but many are looking in all the wrong places. Worldly wisdom found in self-help books, magazine articles, and talk-show television programs are of very little help to your life; they may very well lead you astray. The only counsel worth seeking is found in the testimonies of God's Word and from the Godly people He has placed in your life.

Proverbs is a book of the Bible written specifically for young people. You've probably heard that before, but has it ever really hit home in your heart? Have you ever read a single short verse in the book of Proverbs and found your way of thinking completely transformed? That is what God wants to do for every person who read this book of wisdom, because wisdom is thinking God's thoughts after Him; it is seeing all of life from His perspective. God's thoughts are not our thoughts by nature, "but we have the mind of Christ" (2 Cor. 2:16) and we can know the deep things of God as the Spirit of God reveals them to us.

After salvation, I don't think God delights in giving anything to us more than He loves giving us His wisdom. He wants us to have wisdom because He sees what heartache we will be spared if we will only ask for wisdom and live accordingly. He wants us to remain in the center of His will, guided by wise counsel to make right decisions. He wants to bless us.

Yes, with wisdom comes more blessings than we can possibly imagine or ever measure. God was so delighted in Solomon because he asked for wisdom that He wanted to express that delight in a very great way. I can just see the Lord smile for joy as He replied to Solomon, "Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like." 

God said, "Because this was in thine heart." Because Solomon had a heart for wisdom rather than selfish pleasure, God blessed him beyond description with wealth, fame, and honor. And Proverbs 10:22 tells us, "The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it." Riches that would usually lift up a man's pride to destruction, when it comes from God, instead produces a spirit of humbleness and gratitude. Riches without sorrow -- that's the only way to get rich. God is willing to bless us materially as well as spiritually, but the spiritual riches must always be what we first seek after. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God," Matthew 6:33 tells us, "and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

"Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness." (Prov. 8:18) Do you want real, lasting treasure? Riches that will not lose their value over the passing of years? I believe God asks the same question of each of us that he asked Solomon: "What do you want from Me?" What is in your heart? What do you really want? What is the thing you cannot possibly live without? What will really satisfy you? That is a question only you can answer.

Oh, that the great cry of each of our hearts might be, "Please, O God, give me wisdom!"

"Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." (Prov. 2:3-6)

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)

In the photo: Mouse-ear chickweed