Wisdom’s location disclosed

Pr. 8:20:  “I traverse the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice,”

Have you been looking for wisdom?  Just last night I prayed for the Lord to give my family and me wisdom.  Perhaps you’ve done the same a time or two.

This morning I found out where wisdom likes to hang out.  Not only was wisdom with God at the beginning of His way (Pr. 8:22), but she travels through righteousness, down the paths of justice.

If we’re hoping that we’ll make the choices that will lead us to righteousness or justice, then wisdom is definitely the one we want to follow!  She is going the way we need to go!  She’s got the inside track on the hippest places to be.

So, how do we find her in the first place?  James 1:5 tells us that if any one of us lacks wisdom, we just have to ask God, who gives to us all generously and without finding fault, and He will give it to us.

It’s easy.  We ask for her.  He gives her to us generously, and then we follow her.

She calls aloud outside…raises her voice in the open squares.  (Pr. 1:20)  She cries out, and understanding lifts up her voice.  (Pr. 8:1)  I could go on and on, but God’s Word is full of wisdom.

We ask God for wisdom.  He gives it.  We continue to follow it by continuing to stay in His Word and following what the wisdom of His Word tells us.  The Holy Spirit continues to guide us in all wisdom and truth as we walk daily, and we just continue to follow…through righteousness…down the paths of justice.

Oh man, as I’m reminded of all the scriptures about how wisdom pursues us, rewards us, and cries out for us, it makes me not just want to follow her…but to pursue her!  You with me?

Pursuing wisdom,

jamie

   This is where we get our daily dose of wisdom

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He will save you

Pr. 20: 22:  “Do not say, ‘I will recompense evil’; wait for the Lord, and He will save you.”

This is a tough one for most of us.  Some versions put it this way, “Do not say, ‘I will pay you back!”  It is in our nature to react in a defensive way and think of pay back.  How can we leave it in God’s hands?  We must know and remind ourselves who He truly is.

This morning I was reading Psalm 111, which in my Bible is labeled “Praise to God for His faithfulness and justice.”  Here is what it says about the One on which we are told to wait:

“Praise the Lord!  I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.  The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them.  His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever. 

He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.  He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant.  He has declared to His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.  The works of His hands are verity and justice; all His precepts are sure.  They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. 

He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever:  Holy and awesome is His name!  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and good understanding have all those who do His commandments.  His praise endures forever.”

When we remember who God is, we can find peace in the fact that He surely will protect, defend, avenge, and save us.  He has proven Himself over and over again.

Getting to know Him more and more,

jamie

Are you groaning?

Pr. 29:2:  “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.”

This verse reminds me of work.  Have you ever worked for a boss who just seemed unbearable?  Sadly, in our sin-fallen world, not everyone is perfect.  Occasionally, there are people who rule over us in a very unpleasant way.  This can be true for work, for government, just about anything.  Truly we groan within ourselves when this is the case.

On the other hand, when we are ‘ruled’ by someone who is righteous, our lives are made much easier, and seem much more pleasant.

This reminds me of Col. 3:23-24, which says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

It is the Lord we are serving, not men.  No matter how many raises, bonuses, incentives, or even punishments are given to us by men, our ultimate reward comes from the Lord.

I’m reminded, as well, of Eph. 6:5-8:  “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.”

We are actually ruled by One who is righteous.  Our reward comes from Him, not from man.  We are instructed to serve our ‘masters’ in sincerity of heart, as to Christ.  Serving Christ, the One who laid down His very life for us, is a privilege and an honor.  If we can remind ourselves that it is He that we are serving, truly we can willingly lay down our pride and our lives to do His will in all we do.  We can also be assured that the good we do will be done unto us by the Lord.

Also, this morning I read Ps. 43, in which the writer is asking for God to deliver him from the deceitful and unjust man.  At the end of the Psalm, the writer reminds himself, “Why are you cast down, O my soul?  And why are you disquieted within me?  Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

Then there is Pr. 29:25 which points out that the fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.  We can trust in God because He is faithful.  Our hope lies in Him, the One who is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

Do not grow weary.  Work as to the Lord today.  You are safe in His hands, and your reward is forthcoming.

Rejoicing,

jamie

Blueprints and sleep

Last night, I slept through the night for the first time in 4 days.  I am so grateful this morning.  Yesterday was an interesting day as I stayed as busy as possible in the hopes that I wouldn’t fall over, while my brain was functioning at what felt like 1/3rd of its capacity.

Over the phone last night, my mother-in-law reminded me of Ps. 127:2 which says, “for so He gives His beloved sleep.”  Yes!!  I hadn’t thought about that.  When I found myself waking up again last night at what must have been 1:00 or 3:00, just like the nights before, I began to pray and remind the Lord of His Word, and He gave me sleep again.   🙂

The beginning of Psalm 127 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”  It brings to mind an important question for us all:  Are you building your life in vain, or are you allowing the Lord to be the master builder?

Who’s blueprints are you using?  Are you using the blueprints you’re making up as you go, or the ones clearly laid out in His Word?  As I quoted this scripture in my prayer last night, I didn’t first ask myself if I was His beloved or not.  I was simply crying out to my Beloved, and to the One who supplies my needs.

His plans for our lives are the only ones that will lead to salvation and the only ones that will stand.  Instead of laboring in vain, we can allow His Word to be the blueprints upon which we choose to build our lives.  Doing this takes all the pressure off.  He will be the One building, not us.  We do not need to lose sleep, wondering how or what to build next.  We can rest in the fact that He is the Master Builder and He has it all under control!

Yes, I am speaking to myself in this blog.  When I awake with worry, ideas, plans to be made, and questions about the next section to be worked on, I can simply remind myself that He has it all under control.  If I choose to follow His plans and submit to His will, I need not worry.  I recall my Savior telling us, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”  It is impossible for Him to lie, so this must be true.  Let’s seek Him, and let Him do the building.  What’s left to do but give Him praise!?

Praising Him!  \o/

jamie

An interesting sermon on sleep:  The Peculiar Sleep of the Beloved, Charles Spurgeon