Focus
Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for peace at this time.
Read
Psalm 111
1 Praise the Lord.
I will extol the Lord with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the Lord;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established for ever and ever,
enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.
Reflect
In college, the exams for certain classes always included the infamous bubble sheets. It never happened to me, but I heard the horror stories. Everyone knew someone who knew someone who had studied for days only to get off track on the little bubble sheet and fail the exam. Imagine your dismay to find out that you thought you had answered the questions correctly only for them to be counted wrong because you had lost your place!
Today our psalmist offers a simple, yet profound, truth. All of the knowledge gained in classrooms and all of the insights gained through the experiences of life and work are not, in and of themselves, sufficient to be counted as wisdom. We may think we have the answers, but true wisdom can only be found when our approach to life begins with a fear of the Lord and when our understanding is rooted in God’s precepts. Scripture provides for us both a history of what God has done and a testimony to what is possible. We would do well to return regularly and examine ourselves and our understanding (to make sure we are in the right place) through the lens of Scripture with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Pray
Holy God, help us to remember that true wisdom begins with you. Be the place of our starting and our ending. May the Holy Spirit give us your wisdom. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
Go with God!
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