I've written of our need to be praying for our children before; I've recounted the miracles I've seen because of prayer; I've prayed that I might be a more consistent prayer; but today, today is the day I am lifting up THE PRAYER.  No, I'm not talking about the lesson in how to pray that Jesus Himself gave us in Matthew Chapter 6, though that's surely a worthy post, I'm talking about the prayer that Solomon prayed in 2 Chronicles 1:6-13.  

Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord in the Tent of Meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”

Then Solomon went to Jerusalem from the high place at Gibeon, from before the Tent of Meeting. And he reigned over Israel.

There are so many sermons that have been written that are much more eloquent than anything I could say, but I come to this prayer as a mother.  More than that, i come to this passage humbly aware of my own need for wisdom as "I lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

We need wisdom, daily, moment to moment; in every breath we spend on words and in every bit of strength we give to raising them up.  We need wisdom.  I need it.  And it is my number one prayer these days.

I need wisdom to know how to build up my child with low self-esteem; I need wisdom to see how to fit my physical and spiritual needs into the whole busy picture of our family; I need wisdom as I remind my children of their increasing responsibilities without nagging them; and wisdom when I discipline them for goofing off during dinner prayers; I need wisdom in marriage over when to speak and when to listen; I need wisdom over what to say yes to and what to say no to; I need wisdom on when to spank and when to remove my child to his room to think about his wrong-doings; I need wisdom on how to connect with my dear child that would rather spend his time fighting me; I need wisdom to know when to stop cleaning and simply sit down and cuddle my kiddos on the couch.

Simple things, when I write them down, but overwhelming when they are my thoughts and tasks one right after the other all day long.  I need wisdom to govern this marvelous people God has given me to lead.

Wisdom.