Wisdom from the Past

What is needed for happy effectual service is simply to put your work into the Lord's hand, and leave it there. Do not take it to Him in prayer, saying, "Lord, guide me, Lord, give me wisdom, Lord, arrange for me," and then arise from your knees, and take the burden all back, and try to guide and arrange for yourself. Leave it with the Lord, and remember that what you trust to Him you must not worry over nor feel anxious about. Trust and worry cannot go together.  Hannah Whitall Smith

I was sitting in a waiting area on Saturday reading.  I carry my Kindle with me all the time because I never know when I may be required to sit somewhere.  You know how it goes.  You get in the shortest line at the bank and it moves the slowest.  Five cars come and go and you aren’t even at the window.  I’ve learned that if I bring my Kindle with me I can sit and read while waiting.  The time seems to go by faster and I don’t get near as frustrated. 

So I am sitting in the waiting area and there is a woman and man sitting directly across from me.  The woman gets up and walks away.  I continue to read and all of a sudden the man speaks up and asks me if I am reading the Bible.  I looked up and smiled.  I am not sure why this gentleman asked me that.  My Kindle has a purple cover so the outside wouldn’t proclaim me a Christian.  I am thinking it may have been the cross that I wear that might have tipped him off.  We started talking about God and how we humans have messed up this place we live in.  We also discussed the Israelites and how they messed up over and over again.  They got tired of waiting for God or decided to do it their way and look at the mess they ended up with. 

We are no better than the Israelites were so many years ago.  We are impatient and we wrestle with God when waiting and believing in Him would be the best course of action.

If you think about wisdom and how to obtain it, you won’t get it by thinking you know it all.  That is what gets us in trouble in the first place.  If we want wisdom we need to look back at our mistakes and vow not to repeat them.  We can also learn from others.  There are plenty of wisdomless people in the Bible to show us how not to live.  If we go to God with our problems and then turn around and take them back, we have not learned God’s wisdom.  God gave us a Bible packed full of wisdom.  Opening it is the first step toward wisdom.         

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, there are many times where I have ignored Your wisdom and decided I knew what was best for me.  At those times I learned the hard way that I didn’t know much at all.  We are told to seek You with all our heart and ask and it will be given to us.  Too many times the problem comes in when I ask for things that are not in Your will and then I sit back and wonder why You didn’t answer my prayer. Open my eyes to Your great wisdom.       

Scripture: The works of His hands are verity and justice; all His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.  Psalm 111:7-10