1 Kings 8:31-40 – Stay connected with God in prayer

The temple Solomon built was to be a house of prayer. So in 1 Kings 8:31-40, he presented before God the different scenarios that could happen among the Israelites that would need His assistance. In the first petition in verses 31-32, Solomon asked God to help judges like himself adjudicate offenses committed judiciously. He asked that justice be served rightly so that the wicked would be punished and the righteous be freed from guilt and condemnation.

Verses 33-34, Solomon presented his second petition to God. He saw any defeat in war as a way that God would use to punish His people for their rebelliousness. This was in keeping with Deuteronomy 28:25 which says, “The Lord shall cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you will go out one way against them, but you will flee seven ways before them, and you will be an example of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.” Here he petitioned God to hear the prayers of his people when they turned to Him in repentance. He asked God to accept their repentance and restore them to their land. Solomon showed that he was well acquainted with Moses’ instructions.

Recognizing that God could use famine to deal with the sin of His people, Solomon in his third petition in verses 35-36, asked God to hear the prayer of His people when they returned to Him in contrition and genuine repentance. He asked that God send rain upon their land to end their drought and famine.  In addition, he asked God to teach them how they should walk in His good ways.

In the fourth petition in verses 37-40, Solomon returned to focus on the restoration of the land in times of natural disasters. He knew that if they rebelled against God as a nation, they and their land could be affected by famine, pestilences, blight or mildew, locust or grasshoppers, enemy attacks, plagues, and sicknesses. So in these verses, he appealed that God would forgive them, alleviate their condition when they turned to Him in repentance.  Solomon recognized that God alone knew the hearts of His people. His one desire was for his people to fear the Lord and live in their God-granted land, handed down to them by their fathers.  

Obviously, Solomon understood that to ensure the state of personal and national well-being, their relationship with God was vital and prayer would play a key role. From his petitions in these verses, we see how important it is for us also to have a vital relationship with God through prayers. When we pray, we acknowledge our dependence on God and our helplessness without Him. In prayer, we will also be taught to walk in the fear of the Lord. It is important for us to pray without ceasing. Here’s what Max Lucado said about prayer. "Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference." So let us pray! Unceasingly!