2 Chronicles 1

David's days on this earth were over, but there remained much work to be accomplished for the Lord's kingdom. The time had come for Solomon to reign. The Lord would use him to build a temple for His Name and to call the people of Israel together to worship God.

“The Lord his God was with him.” What wonderful words. The presence of God was accompanied by great gifts. God “made him exceedingly great.”

The new king spoke to all of Israel, but the Chronicler did not record his words to that assembly. What we do have entered in the divine record is Solomon's request to God and the Lord's response.

It was the Lord who initiated this encounter by inviting the king to ask Him for help. What would Solomon request? First, he asked the Lord to fulfill the word that God had spoken to his father David. This was a great petition. Solomon wanted God to be true to His own promises. Second, the king asked God for wisdom and knowledge so that he might rightly govern the Lord's people.

The Lord was pleased with Solomon's prayer. God did give the king wisdom, but He also added many other gifts along with it.

Do we know that we need help in our lives? To whom do we turn? If we are wise enough to seek God, what do we ask Him for?

A truly blessed leader over God's people knows where his help comes from. He asks God for that which is agreeable to the Lord's will. He longs to see God's Word fulfilled. He knows he needs wisdom more than money or health.

John 17 records the powerful prayer of Jesus for His church. Here we have a great King over God's house who is even better than Solomon. Jesus seeks that we would be kept in His Name. He desires and expects that His joy will be fulfilled in us by the gift of the Holy Spirit. He prays for our holiness, asking His Father that we would be sanctified in the truth. His heart is also desirous that we would be with Him forever in the glory of His kingdom.

What a great King we have in Jesus! Surely He will receive all that He has asked for from the Father. We will be with Him. We will have the fullness of joy forever.