Wise Guys
Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Job 25, 26, 27, 28
Job 28:28 (NIV)
And he said to man, “The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”
Proverbs 1:7 (NIV)
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
James 1:5 (NIV)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
Good morning!
Every time I enroll for a new Bible class at Lindenwood University, I look forward to receiving the course syllabus and ordering the text books online. As I review the materials prior to the first class, I find myself asking the questions: What will I learn from this course of study? When will I complete the assigned tasks? Who will I meet while taking this course? Where will this newly gleaned knowledge take me? So why am I doing this? The answer is always the same. I am seeking a greater wisdom and understanding in my daily walk with the Lord. With a grateful heart, I am gladly pursuing His call with a passion! I expect to hear the still, small voice of God as I read the assigned readings, and through the words of my instructors and fellow students. I pray that the end result will be the blessings of increased wisdom and understanding of His will for my life.
Job keeps asking the question, “Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?” (Job 28:20 NIV) These are the kinds of questions that keep me awake at night. Solomon prayed for it, Job suffered through it, Isaiah preached it, and Jesus lived it. The beginning of wisdom begins with a healthy fear of God.
Humans have been trying to figure out the way of the Almighty ever since Adam and Eve walked in the garden long ago. Job’s friends, also affectionately known as the wise guys, thought they had the Great I Am figured out. Eliphaz believed he had achieved ultimate wisdom, through his personal observations of how God deals with the world. Bildad relied upon the life examples of his ancestors. He believed if he applied lessons already learned in past generations, that he would also walk in true wisdom and understanding, Zophar claimed that only the wise guys, like himself, could truly know what God is like. Had Job’s three friends found true wisdom and understanding? Did they have the Lord God Almighty's number?
Job’s response to his self-righteous friends begins and ends with complete trust. Wisdom is borne from knowing that God is far greater and more knowledgeable than he could ever hope to be. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the same God who gives life and takes the living back into his eternal arms. Rather than try to barter with God, Job recognizes his need to simply trust Him. This is especially important when Job’s limited human insights might keep him from seeing the bigger picture. Job believed that the evidence of understanding is displayed through a disciplined life, committed to seeking truth and turning away from the evils of this world.
There are times in life when we all fall into the trap of being wise guys. The older I get, the more I realize that I do not understand the ways of the Lord. I may never understand Him completely in this life, no matter how hard I study. The least I can do is to relinquish my will and limited vision and choose to trust Him completely with my life. The evidence of understanding will follow as I turn away from the sins that separate me from Him. Thank God for Jesus Christ! He is my mentor, teacher and kinsman redeemer. I look to Him daily for greater wisdom and understanding.
My prayer for you today is that you will find yourselves caught up in the gift of greater wisdom and understanding, as you seek to grow daily in the grace and love of God. Being a wise guy can be hazardous to your spiritual health. Relinquish your control today to the Lord. Won’t you give Him your heart? All wisdom, glory, honor and power be unto you, O Lord, my rock, my fortress and my redeemer. Amen!
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com
Pray for: greater wisdom and understanding. It can only come from the Lord, the giver of abundant life. Open your Bibles this morning, and ask the Lord of all to give you greater wisdom, as you study His Word today.
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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