Tuesday, June 05, 2007

The Red Letters...

Proverbs 8

If there is a passage of scripture in the Old Testament that should be printed in red letters, it must be Proverbs chapter 8. There is no other individual in all of history that can make the claims written in this chapter than Christ.

The passage is written from the point of view of the ‘woman wisdom’ and is incredibly detailed in its description of who Jesus is. From this passage we learn that ‘Wisdom’ (Christ) is the source of knowledge, prudence, discretion, sound judgment, understanding and power. If we have ‘Wisdom’ we will fear the Lord, hate pride, arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

Comparing verses within the passage to new testament descriptions of Jesus, we find common traits:

  • Verse 15 & 16; All authority of rulers is granted by ‘Wisdom’ - 1 Peter 1:13-14
  • Verse 17; If we seek ‘Wisdom’ we will find ‘her’ – Matthew 7:7
  • Verse 22-31; ‘Wisdom’ was coexistent with God before the creation of the world – John 1:1 & 2, Revelation 22:13
  • Verse 35; ‘Wisdom’ is life – John 14:6

Thinking of the woman wisdom as Jesus, consider the end of the passage again;

32 "Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me find life and receive favor from the LORD.
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love
death."

Lord Jesus – I wait at your doorway today. You are wisdom. To know you is to know wisdom and discretion. You are more precious than silver or gold and I desire to seek you today above all else. In you I have found life, and nothing I desire compares with you. - Amen

Monday, June 04, 2007

Discipline…

Proverbs 3:11 & 12

Do we embrace discipline? Do we receive rebuke?

The bible is clear in stating that we must not despise the Lord’s discipline nor resent His rebuke – they are His teaching tools. If we are to become wise, we must heed these things. Like the toddler who touches the hot stove with disregard for his parent’s warnings, we can be hurt if we do not listen to our Father’s correction. A father will correct the child that he loves to prevent him from harm. In like manner, God’s discipline is one of the strongest indicators of His love for us (Hebrews 12:6 & 10).

The bible frequently compares our relationship to God as that of child to parent. We know that an unruly child will require frequent and strong discipline and correction where a more compliant child can be taught with infrequent and mild correction. If we are compliant with God’s will we will be sensitive to His slightest discipline. Of course if we do not respond to that discipline it will get stronger and stronger until we do.

We should consider ourselves blessed if we are corrected by our heavenly Father (Job 5:17, Ps. 94:12). In fact, if we are not experiencing the discipline of God to one degree or another, we should suspect that our relationship to Him is not right. The range of correction indicated by the bible goes from the “Still, small voice” to absolute catastrophe. Scripture is the primary vehicle through which God conveys His correction, as Paul states in 2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”. It is up to us how much discipline he needs to provide to make us comply.

Father – You are my Father, my God. Help me to recognize your correction today so that I may know your great love for me. Open my heart to accept discipline and rebuke so that I may truly be wise. Amen.