God’s Ways, Wise Way
After a busy weekend, I am pleased that I have been feeling good today. The rain and cooler afternoons have made the grass grow quickly. So I found myself out mowing the grass once again today. I did get some rose bushes trimmed while I was at it as well.
As I was getting ready to head to the pool the thunder was already beginning, so it changed the timing of my plans. So I headed to my office to take care of some work and to work on my blog. Now the sun is out and I still think I have time to get to the pool before my men’s meeting at church tonight.
Above is a picture of my with Lonnie, Susan and Chris Losh. Once again it was a pleasant surprise to see them in Loveland yesterday and spend time getting caught up to date. They visited me in the hospital just about a year ago soon after my admission on July 22nd.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… If you turn at my reproof,behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you….Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord,would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof,therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. Proverbs 1:23, 29-31
I recall many years ago in the YMCA locker room. I could hear a father with his young son some distance away. In their conversation the dad said, “son many people are smart, but that doesn’t mean they are wise, wisdom is not just knowing what to do, it is doing it….” What was of interest the little boy seemed only five maybe six if that. Already this dad was instilling sound Biblical concepts in his son.
I reflected back on the first chapter of Proverbs as Solomon intends to provide instructions for his son as to the value of wisdom and a commitment to God’s ways. I have also been reading through Exodus. After chapter 20 and Ten Commandments the ensuing laws that God gives to Moses can seem rather tedious with no application to our lives today.
But as I made my way through Exodus 21,22,23,24 it was becoming clear that regardless of the type of instruction, God was communicating His concern for character, personal responsibility and accountability. The penalty for restitution of a wrong was always far greater than the value of the offense. People needed to feel the “consequences for their actions.”
If God’s people were to be wise in their dealings with each other and their relationship with God they would follow the pattern that the Lord had established. And walking in this “wisdom” and yielding to God’s reproof when it came would show they were wise and God’s promise was to “pour out His Spirit on them.” That would result in greater wisdom and blessing and prosperity in the land.
However, we see that God’s people did not follow God’s instructions. As a result, they forfeited the blessings and the wisdom and the provisions that could have been theirs. When you live God’s way you receive God’s blessings. When you life your own way, you receive only what your own devices yield in your life.
As New Testament followers of Christ, the “law of God is to be written on our hearts.” That means out of relationship and love for Christ we are to follow His ways and to give heed when we don’t and His reproof comes into our lives. This shows that we are “walking in wisdom” and brings God’s presence and provision to work in our lives. When we resist it shuts us off from the source of wisdom and we reap the fruit of going our own way.
The basic concepts are still the same for our life today. How many times I have observed we would be better off in our country if the ideals of character, personal responsibility and accountability for actions were more the norm. Remember God’s ways are still the wise way to live…
“…the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” Proverbs 1:32