Day 150: Whatever you want!

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 3-4; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 72

As I child, I loved Aesop's Fables. I loved cheering on the heroes and booing the villains. I warned the fool and laughed at the jesters.

Perhaps my favorite stories were the ones where poor fools were given three wishes. I secretly knew the best wish was to wish that every wish I ever wished would come true. Or at least I thought that was the best wish.

God comes to Solomon and says, "I will give you whatever you want, just ask."

How would you respond?

Would you think, this is my one chance to get ahead in life? How about a million dollars, or perhaps a billion? Thinner thighs, flatter tummy, more beautiful eyes and hair? How about the love of a life time? Winning the lottery? Travel? Beautiful house? A really cool car?

Or would you be more philanthropic in your request?

Would you grab the wish of Miss America and ask for world peace?

Would you look in the eyes of starving children and ask that all would be fed?

Would you ask for a gentle and more loving community where no violence could exist?

Solomon asks for wisdom. A pretty wise request, don't you think? Whether we think it was a good answer or not, God was pleased. Solomon ended up with lots of other kudos because of his wisdom gift. But, as we will learn, his life was not perfect.

Jesus asked that all believers would be one, united as God the Father and the Son were bound together in perfect affection and love. I can't even imagine what that would look like.

Every time I pray the Lord's Prayer, I turn in my wish list, knowingly or unknowingly.

Hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done on earth as in heaven.

Give us today daily bread.

Forgive our boundary breaking as we forgive others who crash into our space.

Keep me out of temptation.

Deliver me from evil.

Unfortunately, the list is longer than three wishes, much less narrowed to one request.

Today, my wish would be that all may love as we have been loved by Christ; that we might all jump into the wish of Jesus in the new covenant.

So God, if you could just grant that request, quickly, it would be real nice...