Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing.                                   

                                                                                                               1 Kings 3:7-10 

Read: 1 Kings 3

Solomon knew his limitations. He was to take the place of his father, David, as king of Israel. But he was young and lacked the life experience needed for such a job. So he did the only logical thing that a godly man would do. He asked God for wisdom and the ability to discern. Scripture tells us that God was pleased that Solomon could have asked for anything yet chose to ask for wisdom.

For believers in Jesus, the promise of receiving wisdom from God is available as well. Consider the following:

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

                                                                                                                     James 1:5-8 

Lacking wisdom is nothing in which to be ashamed. And when we are in need of godly wisdom, we can ask. Scripture tells us that God will give to us simply on the basis of our asking and He will do so without reproach, meaning that God will not criticize nor condemn us for such a request. Consider these passages regarding receiving on the basis of asking:

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

                                                                                                                        Matthew 7:8 

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

                                                                                                                     Matthew 7:11

Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

                                                                                                               Mark 11:24 

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him…

                                                                                                               Romans 10:12 

So we can receive wisdom simply by asking however there is another portion to this passage that need not be ignored.

When we ask, we must ask in faith without any doubting. Perhaps this is easier said than done. But for those who expect to receive from God, faith without doubt is absolutely essential. Why? James explains that the one who doubts is unstable, double-minded, and is likely to be driven back and forth by various teachings and doctrines. When we ask of God, we must ask in faith and He will supply us with the necessary wisdom without reproach.

Like Solomon, have we adequately assessed our own ability and come to recognize our need for godly wisdom? Have we asked God for such wisdom? Are we asking in faith? Let’s be a people not afraid to ask for wisdom and to apply that wisdom to our daily lives!