Church isn’t meant to be a once-a-week experience. The Word keeps walking with us through the week.
Welcome back, friends 🤍 Over the next few days, we’re going to continue sitting with this week’s message together through scripture, reflection, prayer, journaling, and practical application. My hope is that these devotionals help us slow down, stay rooted, and carry Sunday’s revelation into everyday life. Let’s dive in!
In this series, we’re looking at the destructive cycle of faithful and unfaithful Kings in Israel. This history, recorded for us in scripture, is a sobering reminder that even the best of human leaders fall short of God’s glorious ideal, and the worst of them can bring ruin on entire nations. This week, we’ll look at the wisest king in Israelite history, and we’ll see how wisdom without application is wasteful. As people of Jesus, we should live our lives according to the wisdom that comes from Heaven. Wisdom is available to us, we just need to follow its lead.
Link to this week’s sermon notes HERE!
Ask for Wisdom
In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing
And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
Behold, I have done according to thy words:
10, I have given thee a wise and an
understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
Today begins with breath. Borrowed breath.
The kind that woke you this morning and reminded you that praise is not first about mood, but about mercy. You have seen God carry people through holes they thought would bury them. You have heard the testimony that He did not always give what was asked for, but He gave Himself, and in the end His way proved better. That is where wisdom begins. Not in self-confidence, not in noise, not in pretending life is easy, but in humble dependence on the God who keeps us alive and keeps us near.
In 1 Kings 3:5-12, Solomon stands at the beginning of his calling, aware that he does not know enough for what has been placed in his hands. When God tells him to ask, Solomon does not reach first for power, revenge, or comfort. He asks for a discerning heart. That request pleased the Lord. True wisdom is not mere intelligence, talent, or experience. It is a gift from God that teaches us to see rightly, judge rightly, and live under His rule. Wisdom starts when a person knows, I cannot lead myself well without the Lord.
That matters for you, because there are moments when praise rises easily, and moments when pain, confusion, or even your own poor choices leave you asking hard questions. In those places, true wisdom does not accuse God of failure. It invites honest self-examination before Him. It remembers what the Lord has done, and it resists the pride that says, I already know what I need most. God gives true wisdom to people who stop performing strength and start confessing need. He is not stingy with wisdom, but He gives it to the humble, to those willing to be taught, corrected, and led.
So today, receive with humility. Before you ask God to change your situation, ask Him to shape your heart inside it. Take one quiet moment and pray, Lord, give me a discerning heart for this day. Then name one area where you need His wisdom most; your words, your worship, your relationships, or a decision in front of you.
Do not rush past your need. Bring it honestly before Him. What would change today if you stopped leaning on your own understanding and truly received wisdom as a gift?
Let’s pray
Heavenly Father, You are wise, faithful, and good. Every breath I have comes from You, and You always know what is better than I can see. I confess that I often lean on my own understanding. I ask for quick answers, but resist the humility of being taught, corrected, and led by You. Thank You for Your mercy in Jesus Christ. Thank You that You do not turn away the needy, but welcome me with grace and give wisdom to those who ask. Holy Spirit, help me receive with humility today. Give me a discerning heart in my decisions, my worship, and my relationships, and teach me to trust Your wisdom above my own. Amen.
See you tomorrow!
