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| Why not What! |
God said to Solomon, “Because your
greatest desire is to help your people.....
(2 Chronicles 1: 11a NLT)
Solomon was to
be blessed greater than any king before him or anyone that would come after
him. What was the key to his success? It
was not so much what he asked for, but why he asked for it.
Solomon did not
ask for fame or fortune but to be able to rule God's people (v. 11)
righteously. In life, it seems our
greatest blessings come not from directly seeking them but as a by-product of
things on the heart of God. Ancient
Israel had a problem; God blessed them, and they started to worship the
blessing. They became self-absorbed,
putting more value on the provision and not the provider leading to
apostasy. Unlike Solomon, their prayers
were first directed toward receiving what they wanted, excluding the purposes
of God and the needs of others. If we reverse that order, God can grant our
petitions and often gives us things for which we do not even ask. But seek first His kingdom and His
righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33 NASB).
Often we feel in
our hearts a desire for blessings from the Lord. They are there because God has placed them
there, but their fulfillment tarries. He
is waiting until our heart motivation is sufficient to withstand the weigh of
the blessing. The all-knowing God knows just when to give and when to
withhold. Prayer is never meant to
change God’s mind, but to change our hearts.
It is not so much what we ask of the Lord, but why we seek it that
catches the eye of the Father.
Image used with permission by Microsoft.
Ken
Barnes the author of “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places” YWAM Publishing
Email: kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/
Email: kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/
Podcasts: http://kensblogpodcast.blogspot.com
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