November 2-3, 2017
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Proverbs? Here’s today’s reading:
Proverbs 4 (ESV)
Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
2 for I give you good precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father,
tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom; get insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,
and whatever you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;
she will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head a graceful garland;
she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.”...Continue Reading
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18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know over what they stumble.
It says in verse 5 to “get wisdom, get insight” but how do we “get” this wisdom? How do we know when we have it? What does word “get” really mean?
Get wisdom get insight is repeated several times
Sarah, that is a great question. Look at verses 1-5 in Proverbs 2 for some insight on that. I also think of the 5 things I talk about that God has given us to engage with Him: worship, the Word, the Holy Spirit, prayer and the fellowship of believers. All those also help us in the pursuit of wisdom. I also think it has a lot to do with setting aside other things that we could pursue. Some people pursue popularity, athletic ability, strength or health, wealth, power, etc and their action, attitude, and attention are focused on those things. But when we pursue wisdom, we may do some or all of those things, but we are not consumed or driven by them, we are consumed and driven by our pursuit of wisdom, as in God’s wisdom, and we seek to grow in our understanding of Him, His ways, His plan and His power. And it is a lifelong pursuit, so we have it in part but also don’t have it in part. And get means posses, pursue, strive for. But always remember we are seeking to get what God is willing to provide, so it is more about growing in relationship with Him then learning information.
And Proverbs 4:7 is one of my favorites and is part of the reason I am where I am today. Though it cost you everything you have, get understanding. v23 is pretty awesome too! And as I read the these Proverbs I can’t help but think of Josiah and Deuteronomy 6 where the Jews are instructed to surround themselves with God’s standards…have them in your heart, talk about them with your kids, when you walk or lie down, put them on your hands, your head and on your door frames. If we do that, we will be doing well to get understanding and have it cost us something….especially have it cost one of the more valuable things we have…time.