I must apologize. I've been out of pocket, out of town, sort of out of my mind, for the last week or so. My daughter got married in Kentucky and we had lots to do in so little time. Internet service was limited for me and I got behind in posting the Verse Each Day. I'm trying to catch up on posting now. Thanks for being patient with me. Today, A Verse Each Day, will be Four Verses in One Day...lol.
The verses are based on Proverbs 7:1-4, "Dear friend, do what I tell you; treasure my careful instructions. Do what I say and you'll live well. My teaching is as precious as your eyesight—guard it! Write it out on the back of your hands; etch it on the chambers of your heart. Talk to Wisdom as to a sister. Treat Insight as your companion." MSG
As always, the Message translation puts things more bluntly than I could...well, maybe. I have been known to tell it like it is, or at least like I see it! Whether that is always a good thing, is sometimes questionable. Anyway, in the verses above, King Solomon is telling his son, and all who would be wise enough to listen - including me and you - that we need to be watch out for the disguises of sin and wise up to the importance of following God's instruction.
This is something that I can see so well in my mind's eye, but I find it hard to communicate to others. I don't know that it can be understood well, unless people are ready to obey God's instruction. Maybe it is just one of those things that becomes illuminated, individually, in one's spirit as they begin to live, totally, in God's world and wisdom. Recently, I've been reminded that countless people have a sort of varying, fluctuating attitude towards God and the world. Many of us want to live according to the pleasures of this world. We say we love Jesus, yet we proceed to disobey His teachings. But, I've found that straddling a fence can leave you stretched pretty thin. One foot in the world and one foot following God, is still totally out of step with God's purpose for our lives. I think that is sort of what King Solomon meant...if we treasure what God says, etch His instruction on our hearts, our lives will represent the evidence of that.
Wisdom and insight; these gifts come from God. They're given freely, but not always the initial path we choose. On the pathway of life, we come to a fork in the road. One way leads to the ways of the world and the other way leads to God's ways. You can't go both ways. The decision must be made to choose your path.
A measure of surrender and obedience is required to travel the path of wisdom and insight. This helps us take the one foot that is left in the world and fully plant both feet in the way of the Lord. What's so difficult about that? I have an idea. It's hard to give up the fun we have when we sin. We'd much rather live that fast life than give it up for the truly good life. I've lived both and I can tell you that the good life, God's way, wins - hands down - for me.
I have not always done everything correctly. Neither do I do everything correctly, even now. However, I'm convinced that, if I talk to wisdom as to a sister and treat insight as a companion, that I will be firmly planted in God's pathway for my life. That's exactly where I want to be. I can almost hear the Lord saying, "This is the way. Walk in it!"
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