The greatest gifts God grants us come after we have first ensured that our heart is right with Him. Too much of our praying and even our worship is based on what we want from God, rather than what we offer Him.
In Solomon’s case, his greatest divine invitation came after he offered his most spectacular sacrifice to God. The king had not asked anything of God. He had not bargained. He had not negotiated, so that, with his offering he anticipated something from God in return. Rather, Solomon simply gave to God, generously and wholeheartedly. In response, God blessed the king.
We live in an age of selfishness. People look out for their best interest. If we put money in the offering plate, we wonder what we will get in return. Even after all God has done for us, it can be difficult for us to unreservedly offer our wholehearted worship back to Him. Instead, we fill our prayers with requests of what we want God to do for us. We judge the success of our worship experience by what we got out of it for ourselves.
Ask yourself whether your current walk with God is unselfish. Do you worship, serve, and commune with Him because you love Him, or because you need Him?