Prayer

Reading: Prov 1:32-33.

Meditation.

Wisdom is ultimate. The warning of today’s passage takes no hostages. If you ignore her voice, you will be destroyed. If you listen, you will have security and – ultimately – salvation. Why is wisdom so important? The reason why is because, in this call of wisdom, the gospel itself is laid out before us. Those who will not fear God, which is the baseline of wisdom, will be killed and destroyed. Those who listen, trust, and act will be secure. That is nothing less than faith in God’s word.

We learn in the New Testament that all God’s treasures of wisdom are hidden in Christ. As we’ve noted earlier in these studies, the Book of Proverbs is therefore nothing less than the voice of the risen Christ speaking to us today. It is the gospel in Old Covenantal wisdom garb, but it is the gospel nonetheless. In concluding our opening study of the Book of Proverbs, in a sense we have but concluded an introduction to wisdom. Attention must then continually be given to this Book of Wisdom.

Be ye doers of the word...

Notice that word there in our text: “complacency.” In fuller context we read: “the complacency of fools destroys them.” Are you complacent with the word of God? Do you go about your week with little or no time for reading it, for studying it? Do you neglect it? It’s a dangerous game to play. I’m assuming, probably, since you’re reading a book like this, that you are in fact diligent in your attention to God’s word. Probably you can recall to mind times when you haven’t been. Take that as a warning and exhortation never to return to such spiritual habits, but perhaps take this also as an opportunity to share these words with someone who needs them.

Even faithful Christians need this as a regular warning and reminder, and perhaps a specific warning. If at any point in our lives we are complacent with the word of God, it will bring about suffering and anguish in our lives. If there is some “small” sin that you tolerate, it will still be like a little viper latching in to your hand and injecting poison into your blood stream.

But there is great promise in wisdom as well: “but whoever listens to me dwells secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” Again, this reflects ultimate security in Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom are hid. Those who embrace Christ will dwell securely, and will enter in to eternal life. But the same principle holds true in our daily living as well, we must daily walk in God’s grace given through Christ. In other words, stay near to Christ. Walk with Christ. Examine the daily decisions that you are making: Are they pleasing to Christ? Are they helping you to love Christ? The things that you watch, the things that you think about – which voice are you listening to? Is it wisdom? Or is it the voice of the world?

This passage is a call to devote ourselves to word of God. Set aside time each day to read it. Set aside time to study it. Study the book of Proverbs carefully. Study the whole counsel of God, listen to the words of wisdom. And, by the grace of God, take action on what you hear. SDG.

Prayer of Confession & Consecration.

Dear Heavenly Father, I give thanks to you for these words of wisdom that you have laid up for me this morning. I thank you for warning me of the dangers of spiritual neglect, and of the importance of turning my ear to your word, that I might gain a heart of wisdom. Thank you that, in your wisdom, you have made a way for us to get security and salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. I confess that I have often neglected to listen to your words, to my own hurt. Please help me to constantly turn my ear unto you, that I might truly get and grow in a heart of wisdom. You are most wonderful above all things, and wisdom is most precious, please help me and give me a heart of wisdom as I continue to seek that I may grow in your word. I pray also for your people in my local church, that their hunger for your word may increase, that their desire to grow in wisdom may grow within and compel them, and that you may draw them ever nearer to yourself. Let us treasure your word together I pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Ep 151: Wisdom’s warning, wisdom’s blessing (Prov 1:32-33).