Seeking Holiness

1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding —
3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Before I had my son, I went into a nesting phase where I was almost obsessive about getting his room ready. I stored diapers, formula, clothing—all things baby. It has been just the two of us for a long time now, but I still want to make sure there is food in the pantry and clothes in the closet—thankfully we are not yet to the point of storing diapers, but if that day comes I’ll just try to be grateful I’ve lived that long.

Today’s scripture tells us we are to store up God’s commands, turning our ears to wisdom and applying our hearts to understanding. After years of not memorizing scripture, I have tried to reinvigorate my efforts. Alas, I have found memorization is now elusive and the best I can do is paraphrase.

For the past week I have been on vacation with my husband and friends, and I did not take my computer. I read my daily verse on my phone, but I did not spend time reflecting on the verse, praying, and then writing down my thoughts. Some might think I am being legalistic in trying to read from Scripture each day, but I find that when I do not take the time to at least dip into God’s Word, my spirit suffers. I tend to be more critical, less loving and less forgiving. I tend to be more me-centered and less God-centered.

Proverbs tells us we are to look for wisdom as if we were looking for silver, and it is then we will understand the fear of the Lord and find wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Do you want understanding? Then seek after wisdom as though it is the most precious of all treasures, because it is.

PRAYER: Our Father, we pray that in this world where there are so many distractions, that we would be able to keep our eyes upon you, that we would understand our days are a gift from you—may we give back a portion of each day to you, and may you increase our knowledge of you and draw us to you. Amen

Where can Wisdom be found, Part 2

Pastor Carol Grace ♦ October 15, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

Where is Wisdom Found, Part 2

Job 28:12, 22-28
Job 28:12 But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?
22 Destruction and Death say, “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.” 23 God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, 24 for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. 25 When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, 26 when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, 27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. 28 And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”

An old Chinese proverb says “you can’t prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building a nest in your hair.” Job was swarmed by birds of sorrow, and his hair was filled with nests. Yet, we see a glimmer of hope in his words.

Job had withstood assaults by Satan upon his body, family and possessions. He was under attack from both his wife and friends. Yet, Job refused to “curse God and die” as his wife implored, nor was he willing to admit some terrible wrongdoing as his friends suggested. Instead, Job maintained that he was a man of integrity. But in reading Job, it almost seems as though Job trusted in his own integrity more than he trusted in God.

But in these scriptures we see that Job has received a fresh insight regarding true wisdom. True wisdom is not only precious, it is not easily found. One must search out wisdom and it is only found in God. Job ends his narrative by saying that God has informed the human race that wisdom is the fear of the Lord.

Are you seeking out wisdom? Do you fear God, i.e. hold Him in awe for who He is? Do you shun evil in all you do?

PRAYER: Father, how little we understand about wisdom, and how much we need to learn. Be patient with us, Oh Lord, as we seek out your truths and endeavor to live in the light of your love. Amen

Where can wisdom be found?

Pastor Carol Grace ♦ October 4, 2012 ♦ 1 Comment

Job 28:12 But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? 13 No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living. 14 The deep says, “It is not in me”; the sea says, “It is not with me.” 15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver. 16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli. 17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold. 18 Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. 19 The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold. 20 Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? 21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky.

In Job’s day, precious metals were found by people looking in caves, bringing out rocks that had small strains of metal that were found when the rock was exposed to fire. Pearls have long been found by people diving into the oceans and harvesting oysters. Yet, for one who seeks wisdom the hiding place is neither a cave nor an ocean.

Likewise, wisdom cannot be purchased, and there is no comparison to the worth of wisdom with the worth of precious jewels. Why? Because wisdom comes straight from God. Wisdom is both a gift and a necessary tool to draw us closer to the living God and to enable us to live out our lives as He desires and He requires.

Job’s treatise on wisdom came near the end of his suffering, and we see as we near the end of Job’s trials that wisdom became a hard-earned prize. Job had proclaimed his innocence and had blamed God for his loss. Yet, Job proclaimed that if God were willing he could restore Job. When God spoke, Job finally realized that he really did not know God at all.

Do we know God? Do we have the wisdom and understanding to seek Him out while He may be found, or do we wait on Him to call on us? And, do we have the audacity to blame Him when something bad happens, proclaiming both our innocence and our worth?

PRAYER: Father, we pray that we would not have to sink to the depths of despair as Job did before we can come to know you in spirit and in truth. We ask that you would cover us with your wisdom, and that if we cannot always be protected physically that you would shield our spirits. May we come to realize that our worth is found in nothing other than the blood of Jesus Christ, and may we be ever thankful for your grace and your mercy. Amen

Wisdom

Pastor Carol Grace ♦ October 2, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor.[1]

Today I am starting a series on wisdom. It is difficult to be a disciple of the Risen Lord without wisdom, yet how many of us have asked for this vital gift? How many of us have sought wisdom during tribulation rather than escape from the tribulation?

We have a Monday night Bible study and we are starting a series on the book of James. Our discussion last night revolved around how we behave during times of suffering. Do we use the time to learn of God and grow closer to Him, or do we whine and complain about our lot in life? When we pray for those in the midst of trials do we pray for their escape, or do we pray that God would increase their wisdom, understanding and acceptance of where they are right now?

No one wants to suffer. But, we cannot live in this world and escape suffering. Solomon asked for wisdom in ruling God’s people and in answer to his prayer God gave him a wisdom that astounded all around him. We need to plead for wisdom, a supernatural understanding that will draw us closer to God and man, and will help to recreate us in God’s image.

One of our government officials said, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.” Perhaps we should adopt that belief as well, and pray that God would allow us to learn from situations that cause us grief.

PRAYER: Father, you know our hearts. As much as we love you, none of us wants to be in trials. Yet, trials come. May we not waste one opportunity to learn of you and to be more like you. Help us to shift the focus off of ourselves, and onto you so that we can walk with you in wisdom and in peace. Amen