Asking for wisdom

Turkey Creek United Methodist Church and Wesley Heights United Methodist Church, August 18, 2024

This oversized pencil is on display at the museum of The Fly Arts Center in Shelbyville.

1 Kings 2:10–12; 3:3–14 (CEB)

Then David lay down with his ancestors and was buried in David’s City. He ruled over Israel forty years — seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his royal power was well established.

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Now Solomon loved the Lord by walking in the laws of his father David, with the exception that he also sacrificed and burned incense at the shrines.

The king went to the great shrine at Gibeon in order to sacrifice there. He used to offer a thousand entirely burned offerings on that altar. The Lord appeared to Solomon at Gibeon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask whatever you wish, and I’ll give it to you.”

Solomon responded, “You showed so much kindness to your servant my father David when he walked before you in truth, righteousness, and with a heart true to you. You’ve kept this great loyalty and kindness for him and have now given him a son to sit on his throne. And now, Lord my God, you have made me, your servant, king in my father David’s place. But I’m young and inexperienced. I know next to nothing. But I’m here…