Thursday, June 2

THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

 

“Better a little with righteousness

    than much gain with injustice.” (Proverbs 16:8)

 

“How much better to get wisdom than gold,

    to get insight rather than silver!” (Proverbs 16:16)

 

 

In the Proverbs, Solomon often speaks of the great value of intangible wisdom and implies how our connection with the Living God stands above any earthly benefits that we might experience.

 

I recently began reading The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, an exploration on the Bible’s teaching from the 17th-century pastor Jeremiah Burroughs.  The author highlights how our contentment in Christ comes not from having “more,” but rather in having everything in Christ.  The words from this book, written almost 400 years ago, ring true even today.  Burroughs argues that God’s outpoured grace prepares us both to experience contentment and to become well-equipped for service:  “the more any gracious heart can bring itself to be in a contented disposition, the more fit it is for any service of God.  And just as a contented heart is very active and busy in the work of God, so he is very active and busy in sanctifying God's name in the affliction that befalls him.”  Instead of wallowing in affliction, we must “be active in sanctifying God’s name in the affliction.”  His active grace calls us to action, even in affliction.

 

Paul extols the “opposite” blessings in serving our King:  “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:  in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”  We do possess everything – in Christ.

 

As we journey through life, we require God’s wisdom and insight.  The knowledge of this world will fail us, but God’s loving presence and living Word will not.  How are you doing in growing in wisdom?  We may believe that we’ve finished our “education,” having graduated to “real life.”  Yet, we also recognize that we have many areas in which we may grow more into the image of Christ.  Have you found yourself overwhelmed recently?  How could you have benefited from or applied the wisdom in these Proverbs in that moment?

 

I leave you with a great reflection on God’s ever-present faithfulness even in difficult moments from Kari Jobe called “I Am Not Alone”:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfveawSAHJA.

 

 

Lord God, thank You for creating us for Yourself.  Thank You that Your wisdom has formed the heavens and brought the earth into form.  Thank You that You never leave us and that, in Your Son, we have everything.  Empower us to bring glory to You and blessings to others through Your all-sufficient grace.  Enlighten our minds and hearts with Your wisdom and insight so that we may stay the course, even in tough times.  To You be all glory, honor, and praise always!  In Jesus’s Name, amen.

 

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