For one “Genie-like” moment in the Bible, God gives a blank check to the son of David, King Solomon.

1 Kings 3:5 (ESV) At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.”

What would you ask for? I can think of a few things, perhaps 1000 things! But I wonder if the wisdom Solomon would ask for was really the perfect answer to God’s blank check…

Wisdom is wonderful, there is no doubt. We need to live wisely. The Bible is filled with commands to seek after wisdom and understanding.

But Solomon’s request, as ideal as it may have been, was not ultimately perfect. Later, at the end of his life he would write a book about the frustration of “having it all” called “Ecclesiastes.” The theme of that book is summed up in one word: “Vanity.”

Look at what the aged Solomon had to say about the very wisdom he asked of God: Ecclesiastes 2:15 (ESV) Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

Apart from the new life experienced in Christ, Solomon would understand the frustration of getting exactly what you want and still being empty.

So what’s the point? Should we not ask for wisdom? No. We should. But the point is no matter what we ask for, it is far from what we need deep down. In fact, I would venture to suggest that we do not know truly WHAT to ask for.

So are we at a loss in our prayers? Not at all! Here again the Bible’s incredible promise:

Romans 8:26–27 (ESV) Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

God’s Spirit in you is praying for you. How powerful is that?!? And He (the Holy Spirit) is praying according to the will of God.

What is God’s will? That you may know His Son! When Paul, the very knowledgable and wise Pharisee was found by Christ, it changed his perspective on everything he thought he wanted out of life. He would later write:

Philippians 3:7-9 (NLT) I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him.

Getting what you want isn’t the answer in life. Being found by Christ is.

Be thankful that God doesn’t give you a blank check.

We don’t always know what we want.