Useful Bible Studies > 1 Kings Commentary > chapter 3
Many people worry about whether their prayers are selfish. In other words, their prayers are simply an expression of their own personal desires. They have not understood properly what God wants to give them. So instead, they ask only for those things that please them.
Sometimes, in his great kindness, God does give them these things. However, God does not promise to answer such prayers. Instead, God can show us, by the power of his Holy Spirit, what he wants us to pray (Romans 8:26-27). Those are the prayers that God has promised to answer (1 John 5:14-15). Those are the requests that truly please God.
Solomon’s prayer truly pleased God. It was not a prayer for the kind of personal wealth or power that would usually please a ruler. Rather, it was a prayer that Solomon could do his special work for God well. Solomon did not pray that for his own benefit, but for all the people whom he led; he prayed it because he truly wanted to please God. God had given him this great task. So, God could give him the wisdom to do it in the manner that truly pleased God.
God chose to give Solomon even more than he had requested (Ephesians 3:20). God gave him wealth and honour and during his rule, Israel was a truly great nation. God wanted to show the world what it means for God’s king to rule in peace (1 Kings 4:34, Psalm 72). That is how God’s perfect future king, called the Messiah or Christ, will rule the world (Isaiah 11:1-10).
Next part: God would give Israel peace and wealth during Solomon's rule (1 Kings 3:14-15)
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