Papa B
Archive for August 2007
Proverbs 3:5-8
Pro 3:5-8 ESV Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (6) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (7) Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. (8) It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.
Solomon said earlier in Proverbs that wisdom comes from God. Because of this it is sheer folly to think that we can come up with a better way than God. Solomon tells us how to “lean not on our own understanding”. We do this by acknowledging God in all our ways. When Solomon says that the the Lord will make our paths straight the Hebrew word translated as ’straight’ is yâshar; meaning to be straight or even; figuratively to be (causatively to make) right, pleasant, prosperous [H3474 Strong's Hebrew Dictionary]
Our lives are not always easy, but if we put everything into the perspective of acknowledging God in everything we do, God will work in our lives to make our way yâshar. A clear path from the Lord is healing to our flesh and refreshment to our bones.
Oh Father, help me not to think that I have the master plan. I will acknowledge you in everything that I do because you have made my paths straight.
“Tut-tut, it looks like rain”
My wife is eight months pregnant with our fifth child and, since we live in Phoenix Arizona, it’s a hundred and Hades outside in the shade. I suggested we get out of heat and go camping. We successfully camped at Knoll Lake at the beginning of June so I figured before the next child comes we could have some family bonding time up in the mountains. We decided to go to Rock Crossing, it is in the same area as we camped before.
The weather service forecasted 60% chance for rain. I figured that meant we had a 40% chance of it not raining. I guess it doesn’t really work that way. It rained. Our tent leaked. We did pack up in the rain and came home a day early.
God is good. We spent most of Saturday enjoying each others company and God’s creation.
Proverbs 3:1-4
Pro 3:1-4 ESV My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, (2) for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. (3) Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. (4) So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man.
There are two proverbs here. The first is his admonition to his children to remember and keep the teachings he is giving them because it is given in love for their benefit. The second is regarding love and faithfulness. Solomon regards love and faithfulness as precious things to cherish and in doing so you will be honored for it.
The second proverb reminds me to teach my children how precious love and faithfulness is to God and to us.
Proverbs 2:20-21
Pro 2:20-22 ESV So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous. (21) For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, (22) but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.
This passage is pretty straight forward; treachery and wickedness are not the way to go. At lunch the other day a friend of mine asked “What would our country be like if every business operated on Christian principles?” Remembering this passage, I explained that I believed that the successful do operate with integrity and seek righteous paths. We observe (mostly reported events of evil doing) only a small portion of what happens in our society. Solomon tells us that the treacherous and wicked will not be successful. Yes, we have Enrons and Martha Stewards, but our observed time frames might be a bit too narrow.
Proverbs 2:6-15
Pro 2:6-15 ESV For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; (7) he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, (8) guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. (9) Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; (10) for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; (11) discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, (12) delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, (13) who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, (14) who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, (15) men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.
Wisdom is given by God. One of the interesting items in this passage is that God stores up wisdom for the upright. He puts some away for a rainy day. Which means, as you seek God you will always have something else to learn. That’s cool. Solomon also tells us the benefits for certain characteristics such as integrity, justice and righteousness. Solomon tells us that such virtuous living will be pleasant to our souls and there is an equal consequence for choosing not to live virtuously.
Practical application: We don’t seek wisdom to get to the end of it. It’s not like reading a really thick book. God has good things for us to learn and keep learning our whole lives and God is there to shield, guard and direct us all the way along our journey.