Afterwords -- the path of wisdom
"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:6)
February 24, 2023
Dear friends,
In my daily Bible reading I'm now going through Proverbs. In the first few chapters it becomes very apparent that, a) there are only two ways to live (or two paths to follow in life), and b) wisdom is needed to get on, and stay on, the right path.
TWO ROADS DIVERGED... There are basically two paths in life (see Psalm 1) -- God's way, and the way of the fallen world. Not all roads lead to God. In fact, only God's road leads to life, and all the others, to destruction. There is a way to live which the Lord designates, and then there are all the other ways. His way is the manner of living that he has revealed to us in his Word and is perfectly exemplified by our Lord Jesus. The world's way, or the broad and easy way, is the world (or spirit of the age), the flesh, and the devil (Eph 2:1-3; 1 Jn 2:15-17). Jesus affirmed this truth in the gospels: "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matt 7:13-14)
But what does Solomon mean by "acknowledge him" and "make straight your paths"? Here are some of the notes from the online NET Bible (a free resource I highly recommend) ...
"Acknowledge him" is to “know him.” The verb יָדַע (yadaʿ) includes the meanings “to know (a fact, idea, or person), to learn or realize (to come to know something), to experience (to come to know a circumstance), to acknowledge or care for (to act in a way consistent with a person’s station, whether authority or need). That knowing, or acknowledging, God means to obey him (live in a way consistent with his authority)... Other passages emphasize knowing his characteristics, and not just his authority (Jer 9:23-24). The sage is calling for a life of trust and obedience in which the disciple sees the Lord in every event, submits to, and trusts him.
Your "ways" is the term דֶרֶךְ (derekh, “way”), and is figurative, referring to a person’s course of life, actions and undertakings (Prov 2:8; 3:6, 23; 11:5; 20:24; 29:27; 31:3). This is a call for total commitment in trust for obedience in all things. The verb יָשָׁר (yashar) means “to make smooth; to make straight” (BDB 444). This phrase means “to make the way free from obstacles,” that is, to make it successful (e.g., Isa 40:3). The straight, even road is the right road; God will make the way smooth for the believer.
Please note that this verse is not promising that all the circumstances of our life will be smooth or easy. There will be trials, difficulties, and opposition, to be sure. God's way is narrower that the world's, and we are mostly swimming upstream from the rest of mankind. But the Lord promises to prepare the road for us, to direct us, and to guide us into every good and perfect way. We will have success in God's eyes. We will come to know that, even if the path may seem hard at times, we will know in our own hearts that Jesus' words are true, that "...my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt 11:30)
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. We need wisdom to get on, and stay on, that path. Wisdom is more that worldly experience, it's a wisdom about righteousness, and knowing how to do the right thing. Biblical wisdom is to know God's principles for living in his moral universe. It's learning about success on God's terms. It's knowing how to apply God's word to our lives: "...solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." (Heb 5:14) And we are to ask freely for the wisdom we need: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." (Jas 1:5) And the book of Proverbs is filled with that wisdom!
GETTING TRACTION. What I notice in the first few chapters of Proverbs is how we are to be fervently engaged in that process of finding and applying wisdom. In chapter two, notice the conditions and verbs: "My son, if you receive... treasure up... making your ear attentive... inclining your heart... call out for insight... raise your voice for understanding... seek it like silver... and search for it as for hidden treasures..." (Prov 2:1-4) That's very engaged! And that's how we get traction on the Lord's highway. Francis Schaeffer used to speak of the Christian life as "active passivity", meaning, on the one hand we are receiving it all from the Lord, and on the other, we are very active in seeking and appropriating it (from True Spirituality). So, we must be asking ourselves, how important is wisdom to us? And, how active are we in seeking it?
RECENT ARTICLES
-- More on the subject of revivals... Following the Great Awakening in 1740, Jonathan Edwards wrote an essay entitled, "The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God", to help Christians discern what was true and false in revivals, especially as regarded the more extraordinary manifestations.
-- Why did God create human beings in his own image? Here's an excerpt from Abraham Kuyper on that subject.
-- Now you can take a free course on the epistle of James, taught by Stanley Toussaint (1928--2017), one of my favorite professors from Dallas Seminary. So, no, this is not a live stream, but I think you will enjoy it!
-- Ever feel at a loss for what to pray for fellow believers? Here are 18 things to pray for others, based upon Paul's prayers in the New Testament.
FINAL QUOTE. "Did not God sometimes withhold in mercy what we ask, we should be ruined at our own request." (Hannah More)
That's it for this week!
Sandy
Image above is a photo I took last year on the Huckleberry Trail in Christiansburg, VA. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.