Megan Evans, Women’s Ministry Director, LHBC
Proverbs 9:10 NLT
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
One of my most cherished gifts from my father is a set of wooden blocks that he made for my children during a visit to my parents’ house many years ago. I can remember watching him craft each shape by hand. My son was only a toddler at the time, and he would point with excitement each time his Pops would begin to saw and sand. At the end of the week, we took home with us a big canvas bag full of “Pops Blocks” as we called them.
For years, we built towers, castles, bridges, and more with these blocks. Each time we began with a firm foundation. I learned along with my children that a solid base block allowed the sturdiest place upon which to build the most successful structures. Even when our towers came crashing down, the foundation beneath it always remained in place for us to begin rebuilding. The Bible gives us building blocks too. Life is full of exciting growth and development, but also wobbles and crashes sometimes. We need insight and discernment daily, and we need God to show us how to get back up when we fall.
The book of Proverbs was written almost entirely by or attributed to the sayings of Solomon, and is full of practical truths for living out life. Proverbs 1 states its purpose is to give wisdom, discipline, insight…and basically teach us how to not be foolish. King Solomon was very young when we began his rule and yet wisdom was what he sought first. He knew that reverence and lordship of God in his life was the beginning of true wisdom. God indeed blessed him with great wisdom and we should listen and learn. I often wonder why I make life so hard when the answers and instructions I need are right there waiting for me on the pages of my Bible. Can you relate?
Information lives at our fingertips in today’s world of smartphones. It is reported that almost 4 million google searches are made per minute. Unfortunately, while we can spout off a lot of information today, this doesn’t necessarily make us wise.
Getting to know the Holy One, however, leads us to good judgment. Like building with blocks, it is important to first have a solid base. Jesus Christ is our firm foundation and the more we learn to trust and obey him, the more wisdom we will live out in our day.
Do you need wisdom today? James 1:5 reminds us that God gives it abundantly when we ask. So ask Him! With awe and submission to His will, seek the Lord daily. As we take God’s Word into our day and into our prayer life seeking His wisdom, the Holy Spirit will teach us, remind us, and give us insight and discernment. We will grow more and more wise when we learn to apply God’s Wisdom to our day.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father God, lead me to live wisely so that I may bring you glory. I trust you and want to obey your commands each day. I ask you for wisdom. Lead me to good judgment and discernment in the choices I must make this week in both attitude and action. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.