I more or less decided in the last day or so to begin blogging here and there, about this, that, and the other, simply because I enjoy the art of writing, and articulating that which I feel the Lord puts on my heart. The topics which I cover over time will hopefully be varied, colorful, and relevant, but those obviously can't be spelled out specifically now... And I also can't guarantee when posts will materialize, concerning a time frame between them and whatnot. I'll just follow what I sense within me as time goes along, and hopefully it will be something worth reading.
I must warn up front that I tend to be somewhat long-winded when writing sometimes - just the nature of who I am. If that doesn't cater to your preferences, I won't be offended. I guess each person can get out of it whatever suits his interests. I'll just be obedient and post when I feel it's necessary. Thanks for coming along, and off I go... Enjoy! :]
"... 2 for attaining wisdom and discipline;
"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 and 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,
and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds victory in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you."
If you were to ask me to what purpose, or to what end I am living my life, the answer would be this: to bring glory to my Savior through striving in everything I do to live a holy life of emulating Christ during my years here on this planet. Under that large, seemingly vague umbrella would come the pragmatics, or everyday applications of such a purpose -- in other words, what I need to do daily in order to be holy and glorifying to God...
I feel that a large portion of that daily pursuit would be in seeking out the character of Christ, chasing his wisdom in order to become more like Him - or as the passage mentions, to "understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God." Along with gaining the knowledge of God, look at what else is promised us as we pursue wisdom, according to the quoted passage above: victory for the upright, a shield for the blameless, One who guards the course of the just and protects the way of the faithful, discernment of what is right and just and fair, pleasantness for our souls, protection via discretion, and an understanding that guards. I'm not sure about the rest of society, but in a life which is as treacherous as this one, I'll gladly accept those benefits given from Christ through wisdom as I battle along this road.
Moreover, I long to lay a foundation of wisdom and knowledge in my life because that is precisely what our Lord literally modeled for us, in Himself laying the very foundations of this world through wisdom. Consider what Solomon tells us about the work of God in 3:19 and 8:22-23, 27-31:
"19 By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place... 22 The LORD brought me [wisdom speaking] forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
23 I was appointed from eternity,
from the beginning, before the world began... 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind."
If the omnipotent creator of everything in existence considered wisdom to be vital enough to be the very "craftsman at his side" while sculpting this world around us in the beginning, then that is certainly a tool I likewise want to employ as an emulator - as I lay the bricks of my own life.
As I steer towards closing for now, notice that Solomon lists a number of conditions, or contingencies (ifs), for wisdom to be present and growing in our lives... The knowledge of God does not simply come to us through osmosis, seeping into and pervading our beings simply because it exists. Rather, Solomon teaches that wisdom comes only through us freely choosing to take responsibility ourselves by applying thought and effort to pursuing the knowledge of God... It's a process, dynamic and exciting! What does this look like? Let's revisit Proverbs chapter 2, verses 1-4, and list a few of the voluntary acts which "wisdom" calls for us to take in pursuit of it:
1. "Accept my words"
2. Store up my commands"
3. "Turn your ear to wisdom"
4. "Apply your heart to understanding"
5. "Call aloud for insight"
6. "Cry aloud for understanding"
7. "Look for it as for silver"
8. "Search for it as for hidden treasure"
These are all things which call for our attention, deliberate choice, and conscious pursuit during our daily walk. Complacency and contentment do not foster wisdom and the knowledge of Christ, and also the benefits which would follow... Being prone to complacency myself, these are tough words to see and swallow. But it's good and necessary for me to confront that on the front end.
From this point on, I want to be known as a man who strives from the bottom of his heart to seek his Savior intentionally, passionately, daily. Even momently. And I'd love for people to hold me to this. When all is said and done, I would hope my legacy is one where people can say that it was truly after the nature, character, heart, and wisdom of Christ - that he sought after and was attaining.
- Lance
for understanding words of insight;
3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young -
knowledge and discretion to the young -
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance."
and let the discerning get guidance."
This foundational passage sets the tone for the subsequent 31 chapters in this book, a book that (from what I gather) was written for the purpose of urging us to pursue, chase after, or attain a certain level of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding during this crazy adventure we call life. But why? Is a state of wisdom the end, or goal, in and of itself - or is the pursuit of knowledge merely a means or vessel through which we ultimately run after and learn about the nature of something transcendent, or Something Greater?
Consider these words from the second chapter of Proverbs, where some of the ends and benefits of attaining wisdom are spelled out:
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding,
3 and 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,
and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds victory in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you."
If you were to ask me to what purpose, or to what end I am living my life, the answer would be this: to bring glory to my Savior through striving in everything I do to live a holy life of emulating Christ during my years here on this planet. Under that large, seemingly vague umbrella would come the pragmatics, or everyday applications of such a purpose -- in other words, what I need to do daily in order to be holy and glorifying to God...
I feel that a large portion of that daily pursuit would be in seeking out the character of Christ, chasing his wisdom in order to become more like Him - or as the passage mentions, to "understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God." Along with gaining the knowledge of God, look at what else is promised us as we pursue wisdom, according to the quoted passage above: victory for the upright, a shield for the blameless, One who guards the course of the just and protects the way of the faithful, discernment of what is right and just and fair, pleasantness for our souls, protection via discretion, and an understanding that guards. I'm not sure about the rest of society, but in a life which is as treacherous as this one, I'll gladly accept those benefits given from Christ through wisdom as I battle along this road.
Moreover, I long to lay a foundation of wisdom and knowledge in my life because that is precisely what our Lord literally modeled for us, in Himself laying the very foundations of this world through wisdom. Consider what Solomon tells us about the work of God in 3:19 and 8:22-23, 27-31:
"19 By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place... 22 The LORD brought me [wisdom speaking] forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
23 I was appointed from eternity,
from the beginning, before the world began... 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind."
If the omnipotent creator of everything in existence considered wisdom to be vital enough to be the very "craftsman at his side" while sculpting this world around us in the beginning, then that is certainly a tool I likewise want to employ as an emulator - as I lay the bricks of my own life.
As I steer towards closing for now, notice that Solomon lists a number of conditions, or contingencies (ifs), for wisdom to be present and growing in our lives... The knowledge of God does not simply come to us through osmosis, seeping into and pervading our beings simply because it exists. Rather, Solomon teaches that wisdom comes only through us freely choosing to take responsibility ourselves by applying thought and effort to pursuing the knowledge of God... It's a process, dynamic and exciting! What does this look like? Let's revisit Proverbs chapter 2, verses 1-4, and list a few of the voluntary acts which "wisdom" calls for us to take in pursuit of it:
1. "Accept my words"
2. Store up my commands"
3. "Turn your ear to wisdom"
4. "Apply your heart to understanding"
5. "Call aloud for insight"
6. "Cry aloud for understanding"
7. "Look for it as for silver"
8. "Search for it as for hidden treasure"
These are all things which call for our attention, deliberate choice, and conscious pursuit during our daily walk. Complacency and contentment do not foster wisdom and the knowledge of Christ, and also the benefits which would follow... Being prone to complacency myself, these are tough words to see and swallow. But it's good and necessary for me to confront that on the front end.
From this point on, I want to be known as a man who strives from the bottom of his heart to seek his Savior intentionally, passionately, daily. Even momently. And I'd love for people to hold me to this. When all is said and done, I would hope my legacy is one where people can say that it was truly after the nature, character, heart, and wisdom of Christ - that he sought after and was attaining.
- Lance
