Dear Redeemer Family,
What do you love? For what do you strive to get in this life? These are sobering questions as they reveal the rawness of our desires and for what we are most desperate. If I am honest, I want security and comfort and a life free from pain. I want to center my life to preserve these things as most important. I want to orchestrate life so that my family, friends and world can be safe. If this is what I fear losing or not “getting” then I will order my days around it, and will be incredibly anxious as these crumble or unravel.
Solomon, in the passage below, directs us toward what truly can bring security. He speaks to his son, but also all of us who are in need of direction in this life. We search after many things, but this king begins his teaching to his son with above all things, “do not forsake wisdom”. She will protect you. He even goes on to say, “love her”. She will watch over you. Matthew Henry writes, “ Love her (Prov. 4:6), and embrace her (Prov. 4:8), as worldly men love their wealth and set their hearts upon it.” We set our hearts on wisdom.
So many things may seem to be the most important in this life. Money. Health. Success. What is most important to you? Solomon challenges these. He says, “Wisdom is supreme”. So much so, “though it cost all you have, get understanding”. It’s worth that much. Everything.
If it is to be the center in our life, how do we get it? Solomon goes on to explain, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). Hmmm… not fear of failure, fear of man, fear of not having money, fear of sickness, fear of death… the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. He is center- recognizing- His centralness… awe of Him…wanting his name hallowed! This is wisdom.
Matthew Henry describes wisdom as the “whole of man, Eccl. 12:13. It is that which recommends us to God, which beautifies the soul, which enables us to answer the end of our creation, to live to some good purpose in the world, and to get to heaven at last; and therefore it is the principal thing.”
Today I fear many things.Yet, I want to fear the Lord. I taste His awesomeness and yet I struggle. How do we continue to pursue wisdom as we wrestle? Here Paul encourages us alongside the early believers in Corinth hundreds of years ago, “For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” Where we are foolish and weak, in Christ we are strong and wise. As we continue to rest and turn to Him, His Spirit rests upon us. We grow in wisdom, as we receive this gift of grace in Christ, and live in light of it. “
Let us worship this God of all wisdom and grace this Sunday together.
Warmly,
Jen Sanders
RPC Director of Care and Connection
Proverbs 4:6-7, “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”