#32Chapters
This week’s main point(s).
God wants to give you joy. Let him.
Chapter Outline
The 36 verses of chapter three are broken into 3 sections.
- Wisdom’s call
- Wisdom’’s work
- Wisdom’s offer
God love us. He wants what’s BEST for us. I know you’ve heard that. But have you felt it? Have you really felt the gravitational pull of his love, his spirit.
The more I read and study Proverbs the more I see his love and feel the pulling of his spirit.
God loves you! And he longs to give you joy, real joy.
Once you really get that, once you are sure that THAT’S God’s agenda for you, his words and wisdom take on an entirely new meaning to you.
You will run to Him. You will heed. You will accept. Most of of all you will experience the joy he is literally begging you to take.
Chapter 8 is the continuation of that call. I was so moved when that hit me on the flight back from Little Rock this weekend. The pleading and yearning of the first 7 chapters of Proverbs is that of a God in relentless pursuit of his beloved. You are his beloved. He gave his life for you. Not just to save you from your sins, not just to provide pardon and forgiveness and grace.
He gave his life so that you could have life, abundant life. And when you reach the end of that you get to trade the abundant life he freely gives you for everlasting life.
It is with that preamble that we take a brief look at Chapter 8.
Wisdom’s Call
Every day you are faced with a gazillion choices. There are many things pulling at us, many things “calling” us.
The call of desire is loud and compelling. It is tempting. But Wisdom’s call is equally loud and if you really pay attention to the call and what is being offered it’s better, way better.
Every day you are left with a choice as to which calls to accept or decline.
Check the caller ID. See whose calling.
When you answer wisdom’s call you hear:
– noble thoughts
- honest words
- righteousness
- purity
- integrity
God longs for your relationship to be so close, so clear that you recognize his call and you answer joyfully without hesitation.
Wisdom’s Work
Wisdom is declared to have been with God at creation. The reason that’s so significant and powerful is this: if wisdom helped create the world, wisdom can help re-create your world.
If God has the power to create, contain and sustain universe(s) then he can do the same for your world.
If the whole world is in God’s hands why not put your world in his hands. Wisdom’s work is the work of creation. Remember God longs and lives for your world to be better. His great mission was to save and reclaim you. Let him!
Wisdom’s Offer
Wisdom is offering you joy. We long for money, power and respect because we believe that in the end those “things” will bring us joy.
They won’t. They can’t. They are just things. Ask the billionaire with incurable, inoperable cancer. Poof! And you’re gone.
Christ came to bring us joy, deep abiding joy. That joy that comes from knowing, trusting that everything and I do mean EVERYTHING will be ok.
When you rest in your faith in HIM you find joy.
Listen to the final words of this chapter:
So listen to me; Follow me and be happy.
Practice my discipline and grow wise.
Abandon cynicism and jaded thought.
I bring joy to those who listen;
I bring happiness to those who attend to me.
Find me and find life.
Find me find grace.
Turn your back on me and choose death.
Wisdom is calling you to a life of joy, happiness and grace.
Isn’t that everything you could ever want?
The Conclusion
God wants to give you joy. Let him!
The Challenge
What’s God’s counter play for your situation?
Grow. Help others grow. Be Encouraged.
Wisdom House Publishing
- 2012 Hallerin Hilton Hill
#32chapters 