stephen R Harrison

I don’t know about you, but I’ve done some pretty dumb things in my life. I once though I’d save time by ironing the collar of my shirt while I had it on! Needless to say, that was dumb and the scar on my neck is there to remind me of it. This morning, our church staff read through Proverbs 1 and 2 and discussed the topic of wisdom before praying for God to give us more of His wisdom. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” I find each day I need more of the wisdom only God can provide. I look back and see the foolishness I got into because I didn’t stop long enough to ask God for wisdom. I want to be able to look at the present and make wise choices that please the Lord. One of the first doxologies in Scripture I memorized is 1 Timothy 1:17 (there are 17 doxologies in the New Testament). It states and reminds me why God alone is wise, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise”. It ends with praise to Him for it, “be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Proverbs contrasts wisdom and foolishness throughout its entirety. The point of gaining wisdom is not only to us keep from doing foolish things. While that’s a great benefit of wisdom, there’s something greater to attain: God Himself! The main point is seeking the One Who provides wisdom. There’s a difference between seeking wisdom and seeking the Lord. In seeking the Lord, we will find His wisdom. When Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, became king of Israel, he rightly realized he was young and inexperienced and in need of God’s wisdom. He was barely out of his teens when he became king. Solomon went to God in worship (1 Kings 3:4), and God told him in a dream He would give him anything he asked for (1 Kings 3:5). What would you ask for if God said that to you? Riches? Fame? Long life? Solomon asked for a discerning heart (v. 9). It seems he already somewhat possessed a heart of wisdom. Solomon’s request pleased the Lord (v. 10) and God blessed him with wisdom like no other (v. 12). God blessed him for not asking for riches and fame by giving those to him as well (vv. 11, 13). He also promised Solomon long life if he followed Him like his father David (v. 14).

Isaiah 11:2 says the Spirit of the Lord that rests on Jesus is “the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.” Those who are saved by Jesus have access to His wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, and knowledge. We should be those who desire, possess, and use these in the fear (awe, reverence, worship) of the Lord. After all, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7). As we closed our weekly hour of staff prayer, I prayed Ephesians 1:15-23 over our staff. Tonight, I pray it over you as well as you read it. May God give and may you and I walk in His wisdom.

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”