TIDBITS OF WISDOM—A STUDY IN PROVERBS (Part 3) A FATHER’S LOVE

In the last part of chapter one we saw that Solomon’s writings had begun to turn toward teaching his “sons”; he began this with a warning against following after greed and foolish counsel. In chapter two, his tone of voice turns to a loving plead just as God pleads with us His children to seek Him.

Proverbs 2: “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”

Immediately after clearly stating the harsh warnings of chapter one regarding the consequences of following after sin; he now has turned to gently pleading that “if we seek God (who is wisdom) as our greatest treasure and if our greatest desire is to know Him” then He will give us wisdom and discernment. 

protector

Drawing used with written permission of Ronald Barba. © 2012 Ronald Barba and is protected under copyright laws.

God becomes the “protector” of our righteousness.  He will be the “buckler”—the small round shield which is whirled by God to protect us from all the evil darts that will be thrown at us throughout the day.  As we seek Him, God promises to be the one to guide every decision of our life.

Seek Him and He will guide your path.  With that comes peace and joy in life.  Sitting at His feet, yearning just to be near Him and in His presence; clinging to every word that comes from Him is where we need to be so that we can go out and face the decisions without fear.  This is what Proverbs 2: 7-22 reminds us.

God will guide each step if you seek Him.  When your heart is seeking Him, then

you don’t have to worry about any of the major decisions you make with your life.  He will continue the transforming work in you.  He will guide your life. He will provide the discernment to make every decision in your life.

So the question is do you love Him with all your heart?  Do you seek God above every other treasure?  Oh, I am not saying have you “got this walk with God perfected?” I am asking do you love Him and long to sit at His feet quietly listening to learn of Him.  It is there that you do hear His voice whispering to you.  There are so many times I have heard Him say stay when it was hard to stay or march forward when the road seemed impassable.  When He has asked me to stay, He steadied my mind and heart to do so.  When He has asked me to go, inch by inch He has cleared the way.  This was true of last year, when God said move to Missouri.  There were obstacles in the way, questions along that path; but God, one by one opened the doors He desired to open.  Some of you know that when God said resign the job I had been so comfortably and securely doing for 10 years it was before I had a new job; yet, because He commanded the day—I trusted Him.  God’s timing.  God did provide the job at the VA and the start date was exactly 7 days after my last day at Florida Cardiology.  I arrived in my U-haul on Thursday when Alberto and his friends so graciously unloaded the U-haul one day prior to the icy rain and snow that began on Friday.  Do you think God is not in the midst of every detail down to the second in time?  My job was only part time and He called me to wait.  I rejected a full time position elsewhere while waiting and trusting God’s plan to provide a second part time to “pay the bills”.  He had sent me to this job and I would trust Him.  Each time I asked about the money situation, His answer would come as “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse and watch what I do”.  I did just that.  In fact I continued to give to ministries beyond my tithe and my job is now full time—just at the right moment-God’s timing.  God is faithful.  Am I trying to say, I get it right all the time?  No.  Yet when I fall down, as I so clumsily do; He is right there to pick me up, dust me off, kiss the boo-boos, and lead me on.  What an amazing Father He is!!!

So my final question, “Do you seek God as your greatest treasure?”  For in Him is all the wisdom and knowledge of the Universe. 

Listen to Sitting At His Feet

 

© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba

Drawing used with written permission of Ronald Barba. © 2012 Ronald Barba and is protected under copyright laws. If you desire copies please go to:

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/this-is-sparta-ronald-barba.html

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