Prayer

Reading: Prov 1:20-22.

Meditation.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. So spoke Solomon the Preacher in Ecclesiastes 3. In one sense, you could describe our lives as a series of opportunities. When we are young, we have the opportunity to learn. When we have grown we have the opportunity to choose a vocation, a marriage partner perhaps. We have the chance to use the strength and energy of our youth; we have the chance to invest in our children when they are young. We have the chance to take care of our health in our middle years – or to neglect it. This principle also works on a smaller scale. We have the chance to use our time well each day, the chance to exercise and set our priorities. A key thing we need to see, however, is that those opportunities are not permanent. Once they have passed us by, we can’t get them back again.

Now the choice before each one of us is simply this: As all these opportunities pass by in life, will we use them well? Or will we waste them? In a sense, this is the real question that’s before us in the final segment of Proverbs 1. It’s a call to listen and to listen carefully. Living wisely, in a sense, is simply the art of choosing carefully and well, to the glory of God and the good of ourselves and others. It is this discernment in choice that the book of Proverbs is designed to give to us. Verses 20-21 are an invitation to get that wisdom. Wisdom is calling, and she is calling us now.

“Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks.” In the Book of Hebrews we read that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword. As we read God’s word, we are not religious observers merely studying a text. As we read, wisdom is calling to us – even now. There are two things we ought to notice about this call of wisdom.

First, we notice that wisdom is available. Wisdom “cries aloud” and she “raises her voice.” She’s not hidden from anyone. She’s in the street, the marketplace, at the head of noisy streets, at the entrance of the city gates. The emphasis is clear: wisdom is available. No one will be able to come before God at the end of their lives and say that it wasn’t their fault, because wisdom has been freely offered to all. It’s offered to you even now, and each time you engage one of these devotional studies. If we refuse to listen, then on the judgment day it will be recalled. God will say to us: You heard my call. On Sunday 25th July 2021, wisdom called to you. She calls to you right now, will you listen? It is crucial that we do.

The second thing we ought to notice about wisdom’s call in these verses is that wisdom has competition. In verse 21 we read:“at the head of the noisy streets she cries out.” Wisdom is available, but wisdom is not the only voice in the marketplace calling out for your attention. We saw sinners calling in verse ten, and the world is full of voices.

Be ye doers of the word…

There are probably voices and distractions in your mind right now. When you finish reading this meditation, and go on to the next thing in your day, there will be more voices. On your screens, maybe it will be certain people in your life, maybe episodes that you watch regularly, maybe social networks, maybe games, maybe something else. Each day there will be a constant stream of voices grabbing for your attention in the market place of life. The question is: Which voices are you going to give your attention to? Which ones are you going to give your time to? The answer we give to this question will have eternal consequences. Wisdom is calling now, listen carefully. Give your attention to her voice, and consider which voices are getting an ear in your life that would cool your love for Christ. Tune them out! Listen, listen for the cries of lady wisdom. SDG.

Prayer of Confession & Consecration.

Lord, my life is sustained by your mercy alone, and I thank you that you speak and give wisdom. Your help is available to all who will heed. Lord, the voices of the world are loud, and the answer of my heart is all too ready to listen. Please help me Lord, help me to give the ear of my heart consistently to the hearing of your voice. And may your people in my local church too have listening ears, quick to hear what you would say, quick to act and do in accord with wisdom. This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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