“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” has been on my mind since starting reading Proverbs. The Word of God is indeed a path leading to righteousness – a lamp unto our feet (PS. 119:105) or as the Good News Translation says it: Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path. I continue my reading and subsequently continue to be marveled at the greatness of our God.
“My child” or “My son” (depending on the version) is a repetitive phrase in Proverbs. “Kay Arthur advises that one reads the proverbs as if it is God the Father speaking to you, His own dear child whom He wants to show the path of life”. I took it literally and place my name wherever it reads “My child” or ‘My son”. I’ve somehow re-written scriptures – forgive me Lord. Now should you want to read chapter and place your name in the respective verses – it is a powerful exercise.
Proverbs 2 starts with:
Myriam, 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…
Somewhere I may have previously mentioned that I read a lot and I seriously do and somehow information will come back to me about stuff that I’ve read and I find them very helpful. A very well known professor at Dallas Theological Seminary wrote a book called Living By The Book (it’s a classic - highly recommend it). Dr. Hendricks said whenever we read scriptures and find the word ‘if’ – stop and pay close attention. Most the time, ‘If’ is a condition to something ‘else’. Going back to high school days, I recall dealing with what they called conditional statements ‘If - Then’. I decided to look at the ‘if’ statements in these short 4 verses.
If I accept the words
If I store up the commands within me
If I cry aloud for understanding
If I call out for insight
If I look for it as silver or as hidden treasure
So much can be said and the reference to accept the words brings to mind the Parable of the Sower where the ones who accepted the word produced a harvest. Oh and what about Joshua – God told him to not let this book depart from him. The Jews are well too familiar with storing the commands within them – the commands were everywhere. God commanded them to write them on their hands so they wouldn’t forget them. If I may be honest here- I have done a lousy job with respect to the aforementioned. If there’s one thing that I am notorious for – it’s not being consistent. I am still looking for a cure.
What if I accept the challenge from this point on to accept the words and ignore the other voices that want to detour me?
What I choose to hide God’s commands within me and make that a habit from now on?
What If I start crying for understanding as if my life depended upon it?
What if I cry out for insight and rely totally on God? Cry as new-born babes do after the sincere milk of the word.
What if search (seriously) and pray more earnestly and have a serious attitude change? Wanting it far before all the wealth of this world, and laboring in search of it as those who dig in the mines?
Good questions. Where’s the ‘then’ part?
Proverbs 2:5-9
Then I will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
Out of God’s mouth will come knowledge and understanding
He holds victory in store for the upright
He’s a shield to those whose walk is blameless
He guards the path of the just and protects his faithful ones
Then I will understand what is right and just and fair and every good path.
That’s a world of promises. Normally, I will be tempted to say they are true for others but not me. He’s faithful even when I am (and have been) unfaithful. He does not lie – nope – He cannot lie. I believe the lies of the enemy about not being worthy or being good enough and yet doubt and question whether the truths and promises of Gods’ words are for me too. Whose voice have I been listening to? God does not call me unworthy therefore leaves the enemy of my soul. I am choosing today to trust – not in a superficial way but to really let God dig out anything and everything that He did not plant in my life.
In Jesus Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3), and He is our wisdom. That’s a world of promises. Normally, I will be tempted to say they are true for others but not me. He’s faithful even when I am (and have been) unfaithful. He does not lie – nope – He cannot lie. I believe the lies of the enemy about not being worthy or being good enough and yet doubt and question whether the truths and promises of Gods’ words are for me too. Whose voice have I been listening to? God does not call me unworthy therefore leaves the enemy of my soul. I am choosing today to trust – not in a superficial way but to really let God dig out anything and everything that He did not plant in my life.
In Jesus Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3), and He is our wisdom. Thank you Father for opening my eyes to see and my ears to hear. May I be attentive to your voice!
“My child” or “My son” (depending on the version) is a repetitive phrase in Proverbs. “Kay Arthur advises that one reads the proverbs as if it is God the Father speaking to you, His own dear child whom He wants to show the path of life”. I took it literally and place my name wherever it reads “My child” or ‘My son”. I’ve somehow re-written scriptures – forgive me Lord. Now should you want to read chapter and place your name in the respective verses – it is a powerful exercise.
Proverbs 2 starts with:
Myriam, 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…
Somewhere I may have previously mentioned that I read a lot and I seriously do and somehow information will come back to me about stuff that I’ve read and I find them very helpful. A very well known professor at Dallas Theological Seminary wrote a book called Living By The Book (it’s a classic - highly recommend it). Dr. Hendricks said whenever we read scriptures and find the word ‘if’ – stop and pay close attention. Most the time, ‘If’ is a condition to something ‘else’. Going back to high school days, I recall dealing with what they called conditional statements ‘If - Then’. I decided to look at the ‘if’ statements in these short 4 verses.
If I accept the words
If I store up the commands within me
If I cry aloud for understanding
If I call out for insight
If I look for it as silver or as hidden treasure
So much can be said and the reference to accept the words brings to mind the Parable of the Sower where the ones who accepted the word produced a harvest. Oh and what about Joshua – God told him to not let this book depart from him. The Jews are well too familiar with storing the commands within them – the commands were everywhere. God commanded them to write them on their hands so they wouldn’t forget them. If I may be honest here- I have done a lousy job with respect to the aforementioned. If there’s one thing that I am notorious for – it’s not being consistent. I am still looking for a cure.
What if I accept the challenge from this point on to accept the words and ignore the other voices that want to detour me?
What I choose to hide God’s commands within me and make that a habit from now on?
What If I start crying for understanding as if my life depended upon it?
What if I cry out for insight and rely totally on God? Cry as new-born babes do after the sincere milk of the word.
What if search (seriously) and pray more earnestly and have a serious attitude change? Wanting it far before all the wealth of this world, and laboring in search of it as those who dig in the mines?
Good questions. Where’s the ‘then’ part?
Proverbs 2:5-9
Then I will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
Out of God’s mouth will come knowledge and understanding
He holds victory in store for the upright
He’s a shield to those whose walk is blameless
He guards the path of the just and protects his faithful ones
Then I will understand what is right and just and fair and every good path.
That’s a world of promises. Normally, I will be tempted to say they are true for others but not me. He’s faithful even when I am (and have been) unfaithful. He does not lie – nope – He cannot lie. I believe the lies of the enemy about not being worthy or being good enough and yet doubt and question whether the truths and promises of Gods’ words are for me too. Whose voice have I been listening to? God does not call me unworthy therefore leaves the enemy of my soul. I am choosing today to trust – not in a superficial way but to really let God dig out anything and everything that He did not plant in my life.
In Jesus Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3), and He is our wisdom. That’s a world of promises. Normally, I will be tempted to say they are true for others but not me. He’s faithful even when I am (and have been) unfaithful. He does not lie – nope – He cannot lie. I believe the lies of the enemy about not being worthy or being good enough and yet doubt and question whether the truths and promises of Gods’ words are for me too. Whose voice have I been listening to? God does not call me unworthy therefore leaves the enemy of my soul. I am choosing today to trust – not in a superficial way but to really let God dig out anything and everything that He did not plant in my life.
In Jesus Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3), and He is our wisdom. Thank you Father for opening my eyes to see and my ears to hear. May I be attentive to your voice!
