Seeking Wisdom
05/11/08 11:19 Filed in:Weekly
Devotional
I
was continuing to read this morning from Packer's
book
Knowing God and
I was reminded of the importance of not only
understanding how wise God is, but the need to ask
for it for our own lives! Paul tells us in Ephesians
to live not as unwise but as wise. Do we? What does
living as wise look like? Are you able to define
wisdom played out in life? I know we defined wisdom,
but what does that look like? It is great to
understand it is different than knowledge, but so
what? Packer gives two examples of what wisdom is not
and what it is. Yet, before we get there he warns us
that there are two prerequisites according to
Scripture to obtaining wisdom.
First we have to acknowledge God's greatness. We covered this already briefly, look back a few studies to The Majesty of God. But slow down and ask yourself, "Do I believe he truly is great?" What kind of reaction does that create in you? Does it make you stand in awe of God when you think about how truly awesome and great our God is? I digress but I was reading Psalm 78 this morning and was so moved by the words leading up to verse 17. The people of Israel saw the hand of God working in their lives. They saw the Red Sea split, the saw manna and quail fall from heaven, they saw water from a rock, they saw a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night leading them. They saw God's presence on top of mt. Sinai and read verse 17. What does it say about them?
WOW! Here are people who have seen such amazing works and they clearly were not moved to awe of the greatness of God. We must remind ourselves of how big God is and how little we are in comparison. We often live our lives to proud and to conceited to ever gain wisdom from God. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."
Not only must we hold a respect and reverence for our God, we have to receive God's Word. Want to be smarter than your teachers? Have more insight than them? More understanding? Read Psalm 119:98-99. The psalmist had more insight than his teachers he said because he meditated on His statutes. Take time this week to read Psalm 119. The whole chapter is on the power and importance of God's Word. Can we say the things the psalmist says here? Can we say His word is our joy? Does it keep us up at night thinking about it?
We also find in the New Testament Paul telling Timothy that the Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation. Now, I love video games, I also love reading, and I love my job. Yet these things can often crowd my time with God in His word. I have got to continually ask myself do i give as much time to reading the Bible as I do to these other things? If wisdom is learned through God's Word, and we give him at most 5 minutes every three days, how wise are we really? I am not a big facebook fan, but there is an example. How much time to you give to facebook or to other websites or chat programs?
"What fools we are--and we remain fools all our lives, simply because we will not take the trouble to do what has to be done to receive wisdom which is God's free gift." Hard words, but we only have two options, to turn off the computer and pick up His Word. Or not care that we are foolish and unwise and continue on with our lives. That is it for this week. I want to stop short and rather than reading more of me, read His words. Start in Psalm 119. But don't just read it, pray it. If you honestly cant say, "I have stored up your words in my heart," then pray that God would put that desire in your heart to store up His words. But don't stop there, write it out, memorize it, meditate on those words. Begin storing up His words in your heart. Pray verse 18, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law."
You have to take the time to SLOW DOWN and think about what you are reading. praying and praising God all along the way. Then get up and DO IT! Memorize it or apply it, do something that will make sure God's word is in your heart! I end with the question posed in verse 9, "How can a young person stay pure? By obeying Your word." I am praying that we would with our whole hearts seek God! Let us not wander from Your commandments!
First we have to acknowledge God's greatness. We covered this already briefly, look back a few studies to The Majesty of God. But slow down and ask yourself, "Do I believe he truly is great?" What kind of reaction does that create in you? Does it make you stand in awe of God when you think about how truly awesome and great our God is? I digress but I was reading Psalm 78 this morning and was so moved by the words leading up to verse 17. The people of Israel saw the hand of God working in their lives. They saw the Red Sea split, the saw manna and quail fall from heaven, they saw water from a rock, they saw a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night leading them. They saw God's presence on top of mt. Sinai and read verse 17. What does it say about them?
WOW! Here are people who have seen such amazing works and they clearly were not moved to awe of the greatness of God. We must remind ourselves of how big God is and how little we are in comparison. We often live our lives to proud and to conceited to ever gain wisdom from God. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."
Not only must we hold a respect and reverence for our God, we have to receive God's Word. Want to be smarter than your teachers? Have more insight than them? More understanding? Read Psalm 119:98-99. The psalmist had more insight than his teachers he said because he meditated on His statutes. Take time this week to read Psalm 119. The whole chapter is on the power and importance of God's Word. Can we say the things the psalmist says here? Can we say His word is our joy? Does it keep us up at night thinking about it?
We also find in the New Testament Paul telling Timothy that the Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation. Now, I love video games, I also love reading, and I love my job. Yet these things can often crowd my time with God in His word. I have got to continually ask myself do i give as much time to reading the Bible as I do to these other things? If wisdom is learned through God's Word, and we give him at most 5 minutes every three days, how wise are we really? I am not a big facebook fan, but there is an example. How much time to you give to facebook or to other websites or chat programs?
"What fools we are--and we remain fools all our lives, simply because we will not take the trouble to do what has to be done to receive wisdom which is God's free gift." Hard words, but we only have two options, to turn off the computer and pick up His Word. Or not care that we are foolish and unwise and continue on with our lives. That is it for this week. I want to stop short and rather than reading more of me, read His words. Start in Psalm 119. But don't just read it, pray it. If you honestly cant say, "I have stored up your words in my heart," then pray that God would put that desire in your heart to store up His words. But don't stop there, write it out, memorize it, meditate on those words. Begin storing up His words in your heart. Pray verse 18, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law."
You have to take the time to SLOW DOWN and think about what you are reading. praying and praising God all along the way. Then get up and DO IT! Memorize it or apply it, do something that will make sure God's word is in your heart! I end with the question posed in verse 9, "How can a young person stay pure? By obeying Your word." I am praying that we would with our whole hearts seek God! Let us not wander from Your commandments!
|