Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of Yours (2 Chronicles 1:10)?
Our Father in heaven, You created humanity in Your own image (Genesis 1:26-27). You gave us incredible minds with the capacity to understand, and to process information in ways past finding out. But we know that wisdom is needed to apply knowledge and information.
Lord, all true wisdom comes from You. Teach us the fear of the Lord. Teach us the humble attitude reflected in Solomon's prayer: Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of Yours (2 Chronicles 1:10)?
Solomon understood that he did not have the capacity to govern Your people in His own strength. So when You graciously offered, “Ask for whatever you want Me to give you” (2 Chronicles 1:7), he asked for wisdom.
The Lord Jesus gave us the same gracious offer, (Mark 11:24, John 15:7), promising the disciples and us, "I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13). Yet we do make wisdom our first request.
Our task may not be to lead a nation, but we desperately need Your wisdom wherever You have assigned us—in our job, our business, our church, our ministry. And in our family.
Give us the humility to recognize our need. To recognize, like Solomon, that we cannot govern, lead, succeed in our families, our roles, our responsibilities without Your wisdom. Forgive us for not treating wisdom as a priority.
You were so pleased with Solomon's prayer that You added all the other "tangibles" to the wisdom he requested. So help us in our asking, Lord. Show us where we ask amiss (James 4:3 - NKJV)—where we are primarily preoccupied with the concerns of this world—wealth, possessions...honor...enemies...long life (2 Chronicles 1:11)—for ourselves and our families.
You desire to give us those things, but You want our priority to be to seek You, Your Spirit, Your wisdom, Your knowledge (Matthew 6:33). And so we seek You Lord, and pray for Your wisdom in all You have called us to "govern."
In our immediate and extended families, we are stewards over the lives and the well-being, the very souls of the little ones who are placed in our care. We cry out for godly wisdom to govern and influence their upbringing.
In our parenting roles we are prayer stewards and counselors over our adult children who are trying to make their way in this world with devils filled. We cry out for godly wisdom to guide them with our prayers, our counsel, and our influence.
In our extended family roles, we are stepparents, foster parents, grandparents, godparents, guardians, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, in-laws, and other biological and non-biological relations. We cry out for godly wisdom to shape lives and influence outcomes through our prayers, our example, and our investment.
We humble ourselves before You, acknowledging that we cannot manage without You. Solomon warned that Before a fall [downfall] the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor (Proverbs 18:12).
Keep us from prayerless, haughty hearts. Keep us from falling. Keep us from failing in our responsibilities. Keep our families from falling—from falling apart. Guide us with Your wisdom.
コメント