The King should call a National Day of Prayer
by Julian Mann, TCW:
READING the Old Testament book of 1 Kings in my daily devotions has prompted some reflections on the dearth of positive leadership in post-Christian society.
1 Kings chapter 3 describes how the young Solomon, newly installed as King of Israel in succession to his father David, went up to the shrine at Gibeon, a few miles north of Jerusalem, to offer sacrifices to the Lord God Almighty. There the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and commanded him to ask for whatever he wanted.
Solomon replied: ‘Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
‘And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
‘Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?’ (1 Kings 3v6-9 – King James Version).
1 Kings records that this reply pleased the Lord because Solomon’s request was unselfish. He had asked not for long life or wealth or the destruction of his enemies but for the spiritual, moral and intellectual ability to lead the Lord’s chosen people well.
Solomon realised his own human weakness and knew that without divine aid he could not fulfil the task of governing Israel. So, he prayed.
It is significant that Israel’s ultimate King, Jesus Christ, whom Solomon for all his glory dimly foreshadowed, prayed frequently to his Father God, the Gospels record. John’s Gospel records one such prayer before Jesus miraculously raised his friend Lazarus from the dead: ‘Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I know that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me’ (John 11v41-42).
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