Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “True Wisdom” - Wednesday, 26 February 2014 – Scripture – Proverbs 8

Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “True Wisdom” - Wednesday, 26 February 2014 – Scripture – Proverbs 8: 22 “Yahweh possessed me in the beginning of his work,

    before his deeds of old.

23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,

    before the earth existed.

24 When there were no depths, I was born,

    when there were no springs abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains were settled in place,

    before the hills, I was born;

26 while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,

    nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

27 When he established the heavens, I was there;

    when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

28 when he established the clouds above,

    when the springs of the deep became strong,

29 when he gave to the sea its boundary,

    that the waters should not violate his commandment,

    when he marked out the foundations of the earth;

30 then I was the craftsman by his side.

    I was a delight day by day,

    always rejoicing before him,

31 Rejoicing in his whole world.

    My delight was with the sons of men.

32 “Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,

    for blessed are those who keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction, and be wise.

    Don’t refuse it.

34 Blessed is the man who hears me,

    watching daily at my gates,

    waiting at my door posts.

35 For whoever finds me, finds life,

    and will obtain favor from Yahweh.

36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul.

    All those who hate me love death.”

“True Wisdom” by Duane C. Brush

In Proverbs we encounter wisdom personified. She is older than “In the beginning.” She was “the first of God’s works” and a joyful witness to creation (v. 30). Still, wisdom herself is one of God’s creations. She is not a co-god. Wisdom would blush at any such insinuation.

This does not mean that wisdom has nothing to offer. Camp on her doorstep and you will learn valuable things. Turn “your ear to wisdom and cry aloud for understanding . . . then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God” (2:3, 5). Wisdom will save you from much sorrow and guide you to a life marked by “favor from the LORD.”

Wisdom has its counterfeits. “Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become ‘fools’ so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’” (1 Corinthians 3:18-19). True wisdom honors and glorifies God, and she will help us learn to do the same.

Hymn for Today:

“Deeper, Deeper” by Charles P. Jones

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus

Daily let me go;

Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,

More of grace to know.

Refrain:

Oh, deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every day,

And wiser, blessed Lord,

In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,

Take me deeper still,

Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,

And His perfect will.

Refrain:

Oh, deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every day,

And wiser, blessed Lord,

In Thy precious, holy Word.

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,

Deeper let me go!

Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,

Let me fruitful grow.

Refrain:

Oh, deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every day,

And wiser, blessed Lord,

In Thy precious, holy Word.

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,

Till all conflict past,

Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image

Perfected at last.

Refrain:

Oh, deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every day,

And wiser, blessed Lord,

In Thy precious, holy Word.

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,

Holy faith and true;

In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom

Let me peace pursue.

Refrain:

Oh, deeper yet, I pray,

And higher every day,

And wiser, blessed Lord,

In Thy precious, holy Word.

Thought for Today:

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” (James3:17).

Prayer Needs:

Developing Christian leaders in American Samoa!

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