What would you ask for?
A reflection on King Solomon (1 Kings 3:5, 7-12)
What would you ask for?
I’d like us to imagine ourselves in Solomon's situation. Imagine hearing God say to us, “Ask something of me, and I will give it to you.”
What would you ask for?
Notice that God didn’t say, “Ask many things of me, and I will give them all to you.” No, God challenges Solomon with a clear statement: “Ask something of me.”
God desires Solomon to ask for that which is at the depth of his soul, the deepest longing within his heart. God doesn’t want Solomon to ask for anything on the surface, about anything superficial or fleeting. God wants Solomon to trust Him from the core of his heart. God wants Solomon to be utterly transparent with Him. God wants to be at the center of his soul.
Again, what would you ask for if God said, “Ask something of me, and I will give it to you.”
Would you ask for good health? Wealth, material possessions? Would you ask for more years on Earth? Less suffering and less pain? Would you ask for a specific friendship to be strengthened? Would you ask for a family conflict to be resolved? Would you ask for a wound that occurred in the past to be healed? Would you ask for reduced anxiety toward the future and increased hope? Would you ask for a new opportunity, a second chance? Would you ask something for someone else?
What would you ask for?
Today’s story with Solomon reminds me of a passage from the Gospel of Matthew when Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7-8).
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus even needs to say these words? “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7-8).
The fact that Jesus states these words indicates that there are souls who don’t ask, don’t seek, and don’t knock. I am often one of these fearful, sinful souls.
It’s the fearful soul that fails to ask, seek, and knock. Fear prevents us from encountering God. It causes us to hesitate, lose faith, and fail to go on adventure.
The fearful soul asks itself, “What if I don’t like the answer to what I ask of the Lord? Maybe I shouldn’t ask then?” or “What if I don’t like what I might find when I seek the Lord’s will? Maybe I shouldn’t seek then?” or “What could be on the other side of the door when I knock? Maybe I shouldn’t knock then?”
Maybe it’s safer not to ask, seek, or knock. Maybe things will be resolved on their own? Perhaps I can take care of this restlessness within my heart alone?
We may not explicitly word it in the ways described above, but every fearful soul finds itself in this dilemma. A soul like that of Solomon breaks free of this dilemma and enters into the realm of faith, adventure, and sheer curiosity with God’s providence.
In today's reading, Solomon does not have a fearful soul. Instead, he has a courageous, curious soul that yearns for an encounter with God. God loves Solomon’s response to His statement, “Ask something of me, and I will give it to you.” Solomon responds, “Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart.”
Is this what you would ask for, an understanding heart?
Solomon asked for the core of his being to understand what is right and true. In other words, Solomon asked for a heart that reflects the heart of God. Solomon desires for his soul to be in union with God.
God loves Solomon’s request. He says to Solomon, “Because you have asked for this - not for a long life for yourself, nor riches, nor the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right - I do as you requested.”
Again, what would you ask for?
I’m convinced that a fearful, sinful soul like my own is more inclined to fail to ask in the first place as opposed to asking for the wrong thing.
I’ve stated a few times now, “What would you ask for?” but I think it’s more appropriate to conclude with a far more challenging question for some of us: “Do you have the courage to ask God something of Him?”
Like Solomon, may we have the courage to ask, the strength to seek, and the curiosity to knock because the Lord, in His providence, has an excellent plan for us.
+ Fr. Ben Daghir
Thank you Father for your humility. That means a great deal to me as I am sure it does to others. I forget you can experience the same struggles with our Lord. It helps, thank you..I made my request🙏