Isaiah 44:24-45:7
God has strong words by way of the prophet Isaiah for those who would claim to speak from insight they don’t actually have. Even those who are perceived as wise will be thwarted in their views. “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,” we read, “who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord… who frustrates the omens of liars, and makes fools of diviners; who turns back the wise, and makes their knowledge foolish…” (Isaiah 44:24a, 25).
In the modern world, the internet provides a steady stream of dubious claims and questionable statements. (I say this knowing full well that what I write and post online may, to some, seem like “dubious” and “questionable” material!) But even before the dawn of email and text messaging, rumors and half-truths found their way into everyday discourse. Indeed, this is a part of the problem that Isaiah was addressing because many people who were content to put their faith, their confidence in what the world said was factual. God’s response is to go right to the source, to “frustrate” those who offer lies and foolishness, and to “turn back” even that which seems intelligent to our ears. There is only one source of truth, the God from whom alone wisdom arises and in whom alone we must put our trust.
To live a life of faithful obedience we must set aside the falsehoods of the world and instead prayerfully seek for guidance in the word of God, all the while being attentive to what the Holy Spirit shows us to be correct.
Prayer: Lord, may we come to know your truth and to cast aside the falsehoods and lies of those who would deceive. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Showing posts with label Wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisdom. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Question + Answer = Direction
Job 28:1-28
Our reading from Job today asks a question and
then, a few verses later, answers it. "Where then does wisdom come from?
And where is the place of understanding?…
Truly, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is
understanding" (Job 28:20, 28). That’s about as straight forward as
scripture gets. No parable, no allegory, no prophetic vision, no dreams in need
of interpretation, just a question and an answer. Don’t we wish it was that easy
all the time?
And yet, is this really an “easy” situation? Is
it really “easy” to fear the Lord when the world offers us so many other
options, so many gods and idols clamoring for our attention? And is it really
all that “easy” to turn away from our sinful inclinations? No, these are not
“easy” things to do; they require constant effort on our part and an unwavering
devotion to God’s will. What we do find, however, is a road map, a source of
direction by which to travel so that we know what is expected of us. And we
know that God is engaged in the effort with us, for we have Jesus Christ as Lord
and the gift of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives.
The question and the answer are there and while
they do not make life simple, they do provide us with a direction to travel, a
guiding star if you will. God has not left us to flounder, God is giving us
what we need.
Prayer: Lord, continue to guide us
and to direct us in our living that we may serve you all the days of our lives
and that we may have peace and reconciliation with our neighbors
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Whirlwind and Wisdom
Hosea 8:1-14
Luke 7:18-35
Yesterday’s readings from Hosea and Luke offered a contrast. Today’s readings present a similarity. “For they sow the wind,” writes Hosea, “and they shall reap the whirlwind…. Though I write for (Israel) the multitude of my instructions, they are regarded as a strange thing” (Hosea 8:7, 12). In Luke, Jesus teaches his followers that “wisdom is vindicated by all her children” (Luke 7:35).
In life there are consequences to our actions. Like it or not, certain steps will often lead to predicable results. As children, for example, we learn that eating too much birthday cake can leave us with a tummy ache, and that if we scribble on the wall with markers we are likely to get into trouble. As we grow older the stakes can become higher. Driving under the influence of alcohol can lead to an accident in which another driver is injured or killed. An abuse of trust can lead to alienation or the loss of friendships. When we “sow the wind” we may very well expect to “reap the whirlwind.” And at the same time the “children of wisdom” reveal or “vindicate” their source. Doing the right thing can often lead to positive results, for us and for others.
Christianity is not just a transcendent religion. It has a great deal to say about everyday matters, practical wisdom that can, and does provide us with renewed relationships, better health, fuller lives. Most importantly faith can lead us to a better sense of justice, righteousness, and humility before God; the chance for community to develop and for lives to be nurtured and focused outward. We won’t always get it right, but by God’s grace we can work toward the goals of faithful discipleship and obedience while offering our gifts and talents to the work of God’s reign. “And,” as the song attests, “they’ll know we are Christians by our love…”
Prayer: O God, help us to walk in right paths and to seek your guidance so that we may serve you and others all our lives. Amen.
Luke 7:18-35
Yesterday’s readings from Hosea and Luke offered a contrast. Today’s readings present a similarity. “For they sow the wind,” writes Hosea, “and they shall reap the whirlwind…. Though I write for (Israel) the multitude of my instructions, they are regarded as a strange thing” (Hosea 8:7, 12). In Luke, Jesus teaches his followers that “wisdom is vindicated by all her children” (Luke 7:35).
In life there are consequences to our actions. Like it or not, certain steps will often lead to predicable results. As children, for example, we learn that eating too much birthday cake can leave us with a tummy ache, and that if we scribble on the wall with markers we are likely to get into trouble. As we grow older the stakes can become higher. Driving under the influence of alcohol can lead to an accident in which another driver is injured or killed. An abuse of trust can lead to alienation or the loss of friendships. When we “sow the wind” we may very well expect to “reap the whirlwind.” And at the same time the “children of wisdom” reveal or “vindicate” their source. Doing the right thing can often lead to positive results, for us and for others.
Christianity is not just a transcendent religion. It has a great deal to say about everyday matters, practical wisdom that can, and does provide us with renewed relationships, better health, fuller lives. Most importantly faith can lead us to a better sense of justice, righteousness, and humility before God; the chance for community to develop and for lives to be nurtured and focused outward. We won’t always get it right, but by God’s grace we can work toward the goals of faithful discipleship and obedience while offering our gifts and talents to the work of God’s reign. “And,” as the song attests, “they’ll know we are Christians by our love…”
Prayer: O God, help us to walk in right paths and to seek your guidance so that we may serve you and others all our lives. Amen.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Mining for Wisdom
Job 28:1-28
John 12:27-36a
“But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” asks Job (Job 28:12). That’s a question I suspect we all ask from time to time. In fact, I think I must ask it several times a day. Where can wisdom be found? Where is understanding? Why do things seem so mixed up in our world and why does no one seem to have the tools necessary to deal with it all? In his collection entitled Chicago Poems Carl Sandburg included the work “Happiness.”
I asked the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell me what is happiness
And I went to famous executives who boss the work of thousands of men
They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though I was trying to fool with them…
And as recently as the late 70’s singer Elvis Costello asked, “What’s so funny about peace, love, and understanding?” He was speaking for a generation of people who had become very disillusioned.
This is why the first several verses from the Job reading today seem so appropriate to me. The struggle to find wisdom and understanding in our lives can be very much like mining for precious metals or gems. Sometimes we must go to out of the way places, or wrestle with difficult ideas, or strain our eyes (or the eyes of our minds) to see what is not readily apparent. But like miners, if we will continue to work and to struggle and to exert the energy we begin to find ourselves enriched by the results, and sometimes in very unexpected ways. The object, of course, is to be come faithfully obedient to God’s will. “While you have the light,” says Jesus, “believe in the light, so that you may become children of light” (John 12:36a). Keep working with scripture, mining the rich veins of spiritual gold and watching for precious gyms of insight. Continue to tread the familiar ground of “old favorites”: Psalms 23 and 121, Micah 6:6-8, John 3:16. But be willing to search in the places that are unfamiliar to you as well, for “all scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Ultimately Job offers the answers to the questions. “Truly, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). But to do these things, to learn to fear (or respect) God and to learn how not to do evil are both worth the effort.
Prayer: O God, give us minds to comprehend the depth of your word that it may guide us all our days and help and comfort us throughout our lives. Amen.
John 12:27-36a
“But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” asks Job (Job 28:12). That’s a question I suspect we all ask from time to time. In fact, I think I must ask it several times a day. Where can wisdom be found? Where is understanding? Why do things seem so mixed up in our world and why does no one seem to have the tools necessary to deal with it all? In his collection entitled Chicago Poems Carl Sandburg included the work “Happiness.”
I asked the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell me what is happiness
And I went to famous executives who boss the work of thousands of men
They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though I was trying to fool with them…
And as recently as the late 70’s singer Elvis Costello asked, “What’s so funny about peace, love, and understanding?” He was speaking for a generation of people who had become very disillusioned.
This is why the first several verses from the Job reading today seem so appropriate to me. The struggle to find wisdom and understanding in our lives can be very much like mining for precious metals or gems. Sometimes we must go to out of the way places, or wrestle with difficult ideas, or strain our eyes (or the eyes of our minds) to see what is not readily apparent. But like miners, if we will continue to work and to struggle and to exert the energy we begin to find ourselves enriched by the results, and sometimes in very unexpected ways. The object, of course, is to be come faithfully obedient to God’s will. “While you have the light,” says Jesus, “believe in the light, so that you may become children of light” (John 12:36a). Keep working with scripture, mining the rich veins of spiritual gold and watching for precious gyms of insight. Continue to tread the familiar ground of “old favorites”: Psalms 23 and 121, Micah 6:6-8, John 3:16. But be willing to search in the places that are unfamiliar to you as well, for “all scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Ultimately Job offers the answers to the questions. “Truly, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28). But to do these things, to learn to fear (or respect) God and to learn how not to do evil are both worth the effort.
Prayer: O God, give us minds to comprehend the depth of your word that it may guide us all our days and help and comfort us throughout our lives. Amen.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Making the Right Choice
Jim:
Proverbs 7:1-27
How many movies or books have used the sort of literary device we find in this chapter: two women and the man who must choose between them? On the one hand we have “Wisdom” which here is personified as a sister or intimate friend, terms of loving endearment. In her company a young man will be saved from the dangers of seduction and adultery. On the other hand we have the seductress, a literal woman, married but playing the part of a prostitute (and doing a pretty good job of it, according to the passage). Once she sets her sights on the young man he, as so many before him, is doomed. In the company of this woman the young man will find himself “going down to the chamber of death” (verse 27b). This is really a compelling passage that highlights the tension we all face; knowing what we should do but doing something else. Paul addresses this reality in Romans 7:15 where he writes, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” For the writer of Proverbs the answer is clear: if the young man had only trusted sisterly Wisdom then he would have been saved from the snares of the evil woman. I say, if only it were that easy. Over and over again we sin, and yet God remains faithful to us, and the story is allowed to continue, too often repeating the same refrain.
1 John 5:13-21
In this passage from 1 John the person of sisterly “Wisdom” has been replaced by Jesus. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true…” (verse 20a). The struggle with sin continues, but in Jesus we find God’s fullest expression of mercy and love, the one who confronts our sinfulness and defeats it for us so that we may rise above it and live as God’s people. Still we fall short of God’s intentions, but in Jesus Christ we find forgiveness and, more importantly, hope for the future.
Matthew 11:25-30
And here in Matthew we find words that offer hope. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (verse 28). The “heavy burdens” we carry are our sins and the “rest” we receive in Jesus Christ is forgiveness. Thanks be to God for the opportunity to start over again and to live as forgiven people!
Proverbs 7:1-27
How many movies or books have used the sort of literary device we find in this chapter: two women and the man who must choose between them? On the one hand we have “Wisdom” which here is personified as a sister or intimate friend, terms of loving endearment. In her company a young man will be saved from the dangers of seduction and adultery. On the other hand we have the seductress, a literal woman, married but playing the part of a prostitute (and doing a pretty good job of it, according to the passage). Once she sets her sights on the young man he, as so many before him, is doomed. In the company of this woman the young man will find himself “going down to the chamber of death” (verse 27b). This is really a compelling passage that highlights the tension we all face; knowing what we should do but doing something else. Paul addresses this reality in Romans 7:15 where he writes, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” For the writer of Proverbs the answer is clear: if the young man had only trusted sisterly Wisdom then he would have been saved from the snares of the evil woman. I say, if only it were that easy. Over and over again we sin, and yet God remains faithful to us, and the story is allowed to continue, too often repeating the same refrain.
1 John 5:13-21
In this passage from 1 John the person of sisterly “Wisdom” has been replaced by Jesus. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true…” (verse 20a). The struggle with sin continues, but in Jesus we find God’s fullest expression of mercy and love, the one who confronts our sinfulness and defeats it for us so that we may rise above it and live as God’s people. Still we fall short of God’s intentions, but in Jesus Christ we find forgiveness and, more importantly, hope for the future.
Matthew 11:25-30
And here in Matthew we find words that offer hope. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (verse 28). The “heavy burdens” we carry are our sins and the “rest” we receive in Jesus Christ is forgiveness. Thanks be to God for the opportunity to start over again and to live as forgiven people!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Love and Wisdom
Jim:
Proverbs 4:1-27
The fact that our daughter is about to graduate from high school makes this reading especially meaningful for me today. Soon she will enter college and be faced with challenges and choices that will determine a great deal about her life. For nearly 18 years her mother and I have had the privilege of offering her what wisdom we could and what council we thought best. But the greatest source of hope I have for her is that she has been raised in the church where she has been exposed to greater wisdom than her mother or I could have offered alone. She has heard us preach, yes, but she has had others to teach her Sunday school classes, and others to sponsor the youth group, and others who have visited with her at pot lucks and church gatherings. It is the collective wisdom of that community, blessed by the Holy Spirit and centered on God in Jesus Christ, that I believe will serve her best. Her life will not be perfect, but she knows that God loves her and she knows there are people of faith who genuinely care for her. This is how she will “keep straight the path of (her) feet” (v.26a).
1 John 4:7-21
I’ve got most of this passage underlined in my study Bible for various reasons. But just today I have underlined verse 21: “The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.” And what a challenge this is! I can honestly say that I have hated very few people in my life, and mostly when I was a child. Now that I’m an adult I can rationalize my antipathy toward others without calling it hate. But if I am to love God, truly love God, I’ve got to recognize the imperative to love my sisters and brothers, no matter how difficult that may be. And by love I believe the writer of this passage would mean to have genuine concern and compassion for. This means that it is my responsibility to love even the people who cut me off in traffic, or who vote for “the other guy,” or who, regardless of their motivation, cause me pain. Clearly this is tough work. But then, who ever said the way of the cross is easy?
Proverbs 4:1-27
The fact that our daughter is about to graduate from high school makes this reading especially meaningful for me today. Soon she will enter college and be faced with challenges and choices that will determine a great deal about her life. For nearly 18 years her mother and I have had the privilege of offering her what wisdom we could and what council we thought best. But the greatest source of hope I have for her is that she has been raised in the church where she has been exposed to greater wisdom than her mother or I could have offered alone. She has heard us preach, yes, but she has had others to teach her Sunday school classes, and others to sponsor the youth group, and others who have visited with her at pot lucks and church gatherings. It is the collective wisdom of that community, blessed by the Holy Spirit and centered on God in Jesus Christ, that I believe will serve her best. Her life will not be perfect, but she knows that God loves her and she knows there are people of faith who genuinely care for her. This is how she will “keep straight the path of (her) feet” (v.26a).
1 John 4:7-21
I’ve got most of this passage underlined in my study Bible for various reasons. But just today I have underlined verse 21: “The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.” And what a challenge this is! I can honestly say that I have hated very few people in my life, and mostly when I was a child. Now that I’m an adult I can rationalize my antipathy toward others without calling it hate. But if I am to love God, truly love God, I’ve got to recognize the imperative to love my sisters and brothers, no matter how difficult that may be. And by love I believe the writer of this passage would mean to have genuine concern and compassion for. This means that it is my responsibility to love even the people who cut me off in traffic, or who vote for “the other guy,” or who, regardless of their motivation, cause me pain. Clearly this is tough work. But then, who ever said the way of the cross is easy?
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