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May 30

Wisdom personified

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 1:20-33

"But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." (v.33)

    Before settling down to focus on our theme, which is the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, it will be helpful if we acquaint ourselves with some of the background material to the book - hence, these opening days will be more introductory than expository. You can't get far into Proverbs before you begin to notice a peculiar thing - wisdom and its opposite, foolishness, are personified as women, Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly, each of whom attempts to persuade people to follow her ways. This personification of wisdom and folly is a literary device which the writer uses to add punch and power to his points. We use a similar form of expression when we personify natural laws and refer to them as "Mother Nature." For example, we may hear people say "Mother Nature is bringing out the spring flowers," or, "Mother Nature is doing her thing." It is a poetic and colorful way of referring to the principles and laws which guide and govern our universe. Notice how wisdom is personified in these words taken from the passage before us today: "Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech" (1:20-21). Later on in Proverbs you will see how similar language is used of Lady Folly. The purpose of this personification is to make the reader vividly aware that over and against the fatal attraction of folly, wisdom brings true delight. Wisdom is the soul's true bride, true counselor and true hostess. Wisdom is good for us; it is what our personalities were designed for.

Prayer:

    O Father, help me to grasp the truth that I am made for a certain way of living - Your way - and when I try to live against that way, then I am nothing but a fool. Make me wise, dear Lord, with the wisdom that comes from You. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

For further study:

    Ecclesiastes 2:1-26; Job 28:28; Daniel 2:21
    1. What is compared to light and darkness?
    2. What does God grant to the man who pleases Him?

[nChrist]

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May 31

Wisdom is a Person

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 2:12-22

"Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men '" (v.12)

    We touched yesterday on the thought that in the book of Proverbs, particularly in the first nine chapters, wisdom and foolishness are seen as persons. Jesus was also using the device of personification when He said in Matthew 11:19, "But wisdom is proved right by her actions." Some have thought that the personification of wisdom in the Scriptures indicates that wisdom is to be seen as a personality, perhaps a member of the angelic hierarchy, who visits men and women and imparts to them divine wisdom, but this, in my opinion, is taking things too far. The writer is simply using a literary device to make a point. However, it is the opinion of most evangelical commentators that the device of personification as it relates to wisdom is to prepare the way for the apostle Paul's great statement in 1 Corinthians 1:24 that Christ is "the power of God and the wisdom of God." If this is so, then it suggests that the divine purpose underlying the personification of wisdom in Proverbs is not simply to acquaint us with an absorbing set of rules or helpful suggestions by which to run our lives, but to hint that true wisdom lies in a Person, that Person being none other than our Lord Jesus Christ. Christianity moves beyond the wisdom of Solomon, which, by the way, commends itself to non-Christians as well as Christians, and points to the fact that the highest wisdom comes from a relationship with the One who is the fount of all wisdom - Jesus. Knowing the principles of wisdom is one thing; knowing the Person in whom all wisdom resides is another.

Prayer:

    O Father, how can I sufficiently thank You that by faith I am linked to the source of all wisdom - the Lord Jesus Christ? Let the wonder of this relationship - I am in Him and He is in me - sink deep into my soul today. Amen.

For further study:

    1 Corinthians 1:18-25; Isaiah 11:1-5; Matthew 13:54
    1. How does Paul describe Jesus?
    2. What did people testify of Jesus?

[nChrist]

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June 1

Wise fools

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 4:1-9

"Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you." (v.6)

    Having understood that the main message of the book of Proverbs is to provide us with wisdom for living, it is time now to ask ourselves: What exactly is wisdom? How is it to be defined? Some say wisdom is synonymous with knowledge, and use the two words interchangeably. There is, however, a world of difference between knowledge and wisdom, as writers and philosophers down the ages have pointed out. Knowledge is the capacity to comprehend and retain what one is taught; wisdom is the ability to put that knowledge to best effect. If knowledge is the same thing as wisdom, then, as Paul Larsen points out, "There are many 'wise' men who are fools." Our colleges and universities cram information into the minds of thousands of people, so that they come out knowing a good deal about such things as the solar system, microbiology, bacteriology, psychology, the laws of physics, art and so on, but knowledge by itself does not stop them from making a mess of their lives. In the United States, a second year university or high school student is called a "sophomore," which is the Greek word for "a wise fool." How revealing. When we get into the higher stages of education, we think that we know it all, but if this attitude is not changed, then we will soon demonstrate what it means to be a fool. A "fool" in Proverbs is not someone who can't pass a simple literacy or numeracy test; he is someone who thinks he knows what life is all about but doesn't. Those whom the world recognizes as "wise" may, from heaven's standpoint, be the biggest fools.

Prayer:

    Father, I see now what Paul meant when he said "we are fools for Christ" (1 Cor. 4:10). My Christian lifestyle may appear foolish to those around me, but help me never to forget that from Your perspective it is the highest wisdom. Amen.

For further study:

    Ecclesiastes 10:1-20; 2 Timothy 3:6-9
    1. List several things a fool does.
    2. What will become clear to everyone?

[nChrist]

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June 2

The "Wisdom Literature"

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 5:15-23

"For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths." (v.21)

    We have just a few more important general points to make concerning Proverbs before settling down to focus on our theme - the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Proverbs is often referred to as being part of the "Wisdom Literature" - those books which are associated with a class of people called "wise men" or "sages," an important group in the life of ancient Israel. The Old Testament consists of three sections - the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings - answering to the three groups of leaders outlined in Jeremiah 18:18: "... for the teaching of the law by the priest will not be lost, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets." Included within the category of the Writings are the Wisdom books - Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. While the prophets and the priests dealt with the religious life of Israel, the wise men were called upon to give advice about more philosophical matters. They made the point that the world was designed for wisdom and those who followed wisdom would find that the world was made for them. The book of Proverbs, which was largely written by Solomon, is crammed with the best advice it is possible to get and it is a tragedy that it is not part of our secular education system. But perhaps the greater tragedy is the fact that in some parts of the Christian Church (though not all) Proverbs is an unexplored book. Any church that does not encourage its people, especially its youth, to dig into the book of Proverbs is doing them a major disservice.

Prayer:

    Gracious Father, help me develop a love and regard for Your Wisdom Literature. Grant that these days of searching and exploring may result in a new understanding of what wisdom is all about and that new evidence of Your wisdom may be seen in my life. Amen.

For further study:

    Romans 11:33-36; Daniel 2:20-23
    1. What does Paul say is found in wisdom?
    2. What did Daniel give thanks for?

[nChrist]

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June 2

The "Wisdom Literature"

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 5:15-23

"For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths." (v.21)

    We have just a few more important general points to make concerning Proverbs before settling down to focus on our theme - the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Proverbs is often referred to as being part of the "Wisdom Literature" - those books which are associated with a class of people called "wise men" or "sages," an important group in the life of ancient Israel. The Old Testament consists of three sections - the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings - answering to the three groups of leaders outlined in Jeremiah 18:18: "... for the teaching of the law by the priest will not be lost, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets." Included within the category of the Writings are the Wisdom books - Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. While the prophets and the priests dealt with the religious life of Israel, the wise men were called upon to give advice about more philosophical matters. They made the point that the world was designed for wisdom and those who followed wisdom would find that the world was made for them. The book of Proverbs, which was largely written by Solomon, is crammed with the best advice it is possible to get and it is a tragedy that it is not part of our secular education system. But perhaps the greater tragedy is the fact that in some parts of the Christian Church (though not all) Proverbs is an unexplored book. Any church that does not encourage its people, especially its youth, to dig into the book of Proverbs is doing them a major disservice.

Prayer:

    Gracious Father, help me develop a love and regard for Your Wisdom Literature. Grant that these days of searching and exploring may result in a new understanding of what wisdom is all about and that new evidence of Your wisdom may be seen in my life. Amen.

For further study:

    Romans 11:33-36; Daniel 2:20-23
    1. What does Paul say is found in wisdom?
    2. What did Daniel give thanks for?

[nChrist]

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June 4

Invoked or not

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 8:12-36

"Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors '" (v.34)

    We spend just one more day acquainting ourselves with background information on the book of Proverbs before embarking on our theme - the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The more you read and study Proverbs, and the more you apply its words to your life, the more you will find that its wise and witty sayings "work." They work because that is the way the Lord has set things up. It was said of Jung, the famous psychologist, that written over the door of his study was: "Invoked or not, God is present." This interesting statement provides us with a clue to understanding Proverbs, for whether men and women invoke the Creator or not, His creative and sustaining wisdom goes on giving them a world where wisdom operates and where things make sense to humankind. Someone has described Proverbs as "the scrapbook of common grace." "Common grace" is the phrase theologians use to describe the grace that God gives to humanity in general so that, whether they turn to Him or not, they are enabled to live more effectively and wisely on the earth. "Wisdom," says Charles G. Martin, "writes the handbook of instruction in God's workshop and when people despise wisdom, that is, true wisdom, they blot the copy book of life." Of course, we must accept that some may pursue wisdom for the wrong reason -self-interest - or just because wisdom "works," but as Archbishop William Temple put it: "The art of politics is so to arrange matters that self-interest prompts what justice demands." Heaven aside for the moment, our lives would be a lot better if wisdom, rather than folly, prevailed.

Prayer:

    Father I am so thankful for this concept of "common grace." Your love reaches down to help people live life in a sensible and profitable way even though they may never come to know You personally. What a wonderful God You are. Amen.

For further study:

    Matthew 7:24-29; Hosea 14:9; 1 Corinthians 2:6-9
    1. Who did Jesus say was a wise man?
    2. What sort of wisdom did Paul speak of?

[nChrist]

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June 5

Come into my house

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 9:1-9

"Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars." (v.1)

    We are ready now to begin focusing on our main theme. I would encourage you to read through the whole book of Proverbs, preferably in two or three sittings. This will better prepare you for the meditations that are coming up day by day. Our text for today tells us that wisdom is like a house built on seven pillars. There are two ways of interpreting this text. One view says that both wisdom and folly have a house to which humankind is invited. Wisdom has a much larger house than folly, being built upon "seven pillars" - a sign in ancient times of wealth, status and prestige. There is no doubt that this is one meaning of the text, but the other view - and this is the one I am following in these studies - is that wisdom has seven major aspects. The book of Proverbs does not state categorically what these seven aspects are, so, based on my study and understanding of this great book, I am going to give you what I consider to be the seven major aspects of wisdom. Never in the history of the human race have there been so many problems, so much confusion, and so many conflicting philosophies of how to live. Those who lack wisdom do not have the perspectives that enable them to discern the connection between cause and effect and therefore they don't understand what they are stumbling over, or, if they do avoid problems, they don't understand why they avoid them. We need wisdom to live and Proverbs will show us how.

Prayer:

    Gracious and loving heavenly Father, my appetite is whetted and now I am ready to begin. Grant that as I expose myself day by day to the truths of Your Word, wisdom may be more deeply imprinted into my spirit. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

For further study:

    Job 28:1-28; Psalms 119:169; Ecclesiastes 1:13
    1. What question did Job ponder?
    2. What conclusion did he come to?

[nChrist]

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June 6

The first pillar of wisdom

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 3:1-18

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding '" (v.5)

    We turn now to consider the first of the seven pillars on which I believe that wisdom is built - trust. The theme of trust is everywhere in Proverbs; it punctuates almost every passage. The word "trust" itself occurs quite often, the frequency varying according to the translation you read (in the King James Version, for example, "trust" appears ten times) and its synonyms, such as "lean," "acknowledge," "depend," are found scattered through the book. According to Rabbi Bar Kappa, the verse before us today is the pivot around which all the essential principles of Judaism revolve. He claims that these words summarize the teaching of the whole Old Testament and give a clear focus to the fact that the wise are those who trust God and follow His directions for living. But what exactly is "trust"? How important is it to daily living? Why do the word and its synonyms occur so many times, not only in Proverbs but in other parts of Scripture as well? The dictionary defines trust as "a firm belief in the reliability, honesty, veracity, justice and strength of a person or thing." Basically "trust" is confidence that what we believe about a person or thing is true. We tend to think of trust as a spiritual quality, but actually it is an essential posture of life for everyone. It would be very difficult to get through a single day without the exercise of trust. All government, all economics, all institutions, all marriages, all relationships between people, are fundamentally governed by trust. We cannot relate well to God or others unless the capacity to trust is present within us.

Prayer:

    Father, I see that trust is an essential thread that runs through the whole of living. Teach me that art of trusting, for an art it is. Help me to relax and maintain a complete confidence in You - hour by hour and day by day. Amen.

For further study:

    Psalms 37:1-11; Isaiah 2:22
    1. Where is our trust to be directed?
    2. What must we stop doing?

[nChrist]

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June 7

Trust is good for us

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 14:14-26

"A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps." (v.15)

    We saw yesterday that all relationships, both human and divine, are fundamentally governed by trust. Without trust, society would deteriorate into paranoia - the feeling that everyone is out to get you. Mental health specialists see an inability to trust as a symptom of emotional illness. Erik Erikson, a famous psychiatrist, says that the capacity to trust is the foundation of good emotional health, and conditions such as chronic anxiety, high nervousness or paranoia could be caused by an inability to trust. Although people may let us down and betray our trust, we must be careful that we do not allow those experiences to lead us to the conclusion that everyone we meet is a conspirator. On the other hand, you will no doubt have come across the expression "a trusting fool" - a phrase used to describe the person who is unable to discern the diabolical schemes that might be hatched up to exploit him. Erikson also says: "Unless we have a balanced approach to life - a basic trust together with a certain degree of caution - then we will never achieve emotional maturity or wholeness." Note his words carefully - "a balanced approach to life." Therein lies the secret. We must learn how to trust while at the same time exercising a certain amount of caution. Our text tells us that "a simple man believes anything," but that does not mean we should go to the other extreme and believe that everything people tell us is a downright lie or fabrication. Truth is a narrow column and we must watch that we do not lose our balance and fall off.

Prayer:

    O Father, help me to be a balanced person - one who stands on the narrow column of truth without falling off into one extreme or the other. Remind me that error is often truth taken to an extreme. Keep me in the truth. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study:

    Matthew 26:20-30, 37-46, 59-68
    1. How did Jesus respond in moments when His trust was betrayed?
    2. In what ways have you betrayed Jesus' trust in you?

[nChrist]

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June 8

A snake in the grass

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 16:10-20

"' blessed is he who trusts in the Lord." (v.20)

    Why does the Bible put before us the idea of caution? The simple answer is because we live in a fallen world. God made the first human pair perfect in every way and put them in a beautiful garden called "Paradise." They trusted Him for everything they needed and not once did He let them down. Unfortunately, however, there was a "snake in the grass" who hatched up a plot to which they succumbed and so they were brought down to ruin. Their downfall, in turn, plunged the whole human race into chaos. Because of the Fall, life is beset with problems, especially in the matter of trust. I can't rely entirely on nature - sometimes it rains too much or not enough. I can't rely entirely on family or friends - sometimes they won't or can't help or they may help too much. Sin has struck so deeply into human relationships that it would be unwise not to recognize that at times and for a variety of reasons people may let us down. In one way or another the Fall has played havoc with this matter of trust, but we must be careful that we do not allow the failures of trust we may experience on the human level to affect our view of the Divine. You can put your trust in God without fear of ever being let down. The apostle Peter puts it like this: "' the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame" (1 Peter 2:6). Drop your anchor into the depths of this reassuring and encouraging revelation. Whoever else you may not be able to trust - you can trust Him.

Prayer:

    O Father, what encouragement this thought gives me: whoever else I can't trust, I can trust You. I have heard it so many times and read it so many times; now help me take hold of it. In Jesus' Name I Pray. Amen.

For further study:

    Isaiah 26:1-12; Psalms 118:8; Isaiah 50:10
    1. What is better than putting your trust in man?
    2. What is the result of putting your trust in God?

[nChrist]

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June 9

Why is trust difficult?

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 28:18-28

"He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe." (v.26)

    Why is it that some people find it so difficult to trust? Many have said to me: "My problem is I find it so hard to trust." A person who finds it difficult to trust on a human level often finds it difficult to trust on a spiritual level. Trust is a learned response and we begin learning it the moment we arrive in this world. A newborn child arrives in the world with a good deal of vulnerability and among other things has to learn the art of developing trust. If parents are loving, reliable, predictable and trustworthy the child soon gets the idea: "I can trust these people who are looking after me. They don't always respond the way I would like them to but generally they are there for me when I need them." If, however, there is no reliable and consistent input of love and affection into a child's personality in the early years, if the parents are unconcerned and unpredictable, the child gets the idea: "People are not to be trusted." And in cases where parents are not just unconcerned, but downright cruel and abusive, the development of a basic trust is hard and difficult; some would say impossible. My experience in counseling shows that people with an inability to trust are usually those who experienced serious deprivation, abuse or cruelty in their early developmental years. This is no reason to despair, however, for in Christ we have a new parent and a new parentage. He enables us to overcome whatever difficulties there may be in our past.

Prayer:

    Father, help my focus to be not on what has been, but on what can be, and what will be, when I am rightly related to You. I have grown up physically; now help me grow up spiritually. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

For further study:

    Romans 8:1-11; Psalms 31:19
    1. What is removed from those who trust in the Lord?
    2. What surrounds those who trust the Lord?

[nChrist]

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June 10

How to forgive

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 30:21-33

"' as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife." (v.33)

    If difficulties concerning basic trust on a natural level can hinder our ability to trust at a spiritual level, how do we as Christians overcome this? The first thing we must do is demonstrate a willingness to forgive those who hurt us. "That's hard," you might say. My reply is: "Yes, in the case of those who have been badly let down, it is hard - but not impossible." Here's how you do it. Focus first on how much you have been forgiven. The key to forgiving others is to enter into a realized awareness of how much God has forgiven you. When people say to me during a counseling session, "My problem is that I can't forgive," I usually respond by saying, "No, that's not your problem. Your problem is that you don't know how much you have been forgiven." It may be difficult for some to see this, especially those who have gone through deep hurt, but nothing others have done to you is as awful as what you have done to God. If you have difficulty with the last statement, it is because you do not understand the nature of sin. Sin is taking the Creator of the universe and relegating Him to irrelevance; it is saying to the One who made us - "I can run my life on my own terms." Sin is insanity - and you and I have been guilty of that. Yet in Christ God has forgiven us, pardoned us, and bestowed upon us His royal favor. Having been given such forgiveness, can we, dare we, withhold it from anyone who has betrayed our trust, no matter how horrifying that hurt has been?

Prayer:

    Father, Your Word is frank and open - help me to respond to it in the same way. Take from me every biting hesitancy, every fear and apprehension, every refusal to accept responsibility. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

For further study:

    Colossians 3:1-14; Mark 11:25; Luke 17:4; Ephesians 4:32
    1. How are we to forgive?
    2. Do you need to forgive someone today?

[nChrist]

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June 11

My way - or God's way

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 14:1-13

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (v.12)

    The second step we need to take in order to rid ourselves of the things that hinder our ability to trust is the recognition of the fact that, having been let down by others, we have determined in our hearts that we will never trust another person again. The determination never to trust another person again may be a human reaction, but it is not a Christian one. I have heard many people say, "I can trust God but I can't trust people." But Christianity is all about relating to people. The essence of reality is passionate, other-centered relationships, as is evidenced by the perfect relationships of the Trinity, in whose image we are made. If we draw back from others because we are afraid of being betrayed, then what we are saying is this: "I can't trust God enough to hold me when others let me down." Those, therefore, who say, "I can trust God and I can't trust people," are not making sense. It is more honest to say, "I can't trust God and I can't trust people." What we ought to be saying, if we really believe the truths of the New Testament and are willing to give ourselves to them, is this: "I can trust God to hold me when I relate to others, irrespective of whether I am accepted or rejected." The determination to stay self-protected is evidence that our trust is not what it should be. We must bring this self-protective determination to preserve our own soul before God in an act of repentance, and resolve that no matter how others may treat us, our trust will be confidently placed in Him.

Prayer:

    O Father, I must ask myself: Can I trust You enough to hold me when others do not come through for me? The determination to stay safe seems so right, yet it is so wrong. I turn from my way to Your way. Hold me secure. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study:

    Job 13:1-15; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Psalms 125:1
    1. What was Job able to say?
    2. What did David say to his son Solomon?

[nChrist]

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June 12

Is trust idealistic?

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 29:19-27

"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." (v.25)

    Sometimes someone says to me: "Isn't it idealistic to expect me to be vulnerable to further hurt after I have been let down and betrayed?" My answer is to point them to Jesus. If He can do it, then so can we - providing we depend on His strength and not ours. Our Lord knows better than anyone what it means to be let down and betrayed. In all the heaped up pain of His passion, few things would have hurt Him more than being betrayed by His disciples. Did our Lord's experience of Peter's denial cause Him to conclude: "Never again will I trust that man"? Come with me to Galilee and let us see. Simon Peter, no doubt feeling disillusioned, returns to his trade as a fisherman, whereupon Jesus pursues him and puts Himself in a position of being hurt once again. He says to Peter, "Do you love Me?" using the strong Greek word for love - agape. Peter responds, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You," using the weaker Greek word for love - philia (John 21:1516, NKJV). How would you feel, do you think, if you plucked up courage to say to someone who had already let you down. "Do you love me?" and he or she responded: "Well, I like you." Would you not feel hurt, wounded, perhaps slightly rejected? I think Jesus must have felt most keenly the thrust of Peter's words, yet He did not allow it to deter Him from continuing, even pursuing, the relationship. That's what I mean by vulnerability. That's what I mean by love.

Prayer:

    Father, is it possible that You can make me so secure that I, too, am able to be vulnerable in my relationships? I must believe it; I do believe it. Help me to demonstrate it in every relationship I am called by You to pursue. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study:

    Matthew 26:31-35,69-75; John 21:7-19
    1. What was Peter entrusted with?
    2. What did Peter declare?

[nChrist]

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June 13

Yours trustingly

For reading & meditation: Proverbs 11:25-31

"Whoever trusts in his riches will fall '" (v.28 )

    What have we been saying about the important issue of trust? Trust is an essential ingredient in our relationships - both human and divine. The reason we can demonstrate trust in all our earthly relationships is because we recognize that there is One who is governing our lives. We can give ourselves to others knowing that even though they let us down He will hold us in His arms and not allow us to be destroyed. Notice carefully what I say here, because many Christians hold God to promises He never made and then get disappointed when He doesn't come through for them. God does not promise to keep us from being hurt in our relationships, but He does promise to keep us from being destroyed. The more you trust in God, the more effective you will be in your relationships with others. Because your ultimate trust is in God, you will be free from unconscious manipulative techniques and, drawing your security from Him, you can give yourself more freely to others. "Love does not begin," someone has said, "until you expect nothing in return." When your trust is wholly in the Lord, you can love like that. If you have never done so before, decide now to put in God's hands all the hurts and betrayals of the past. Forgive all those who have let you down. Lift up your head and look into the face of the One who will never betray you. Give Him all your trust. And, I say again, keep in mind that trust is not only an essential posture of life; it is the first step in wisdom. The wise are those who trust.

Prayer:

    O God, break down any last barrier that may be hindering me from putting my trust fully in You. I would have the doors of my spirit turn out, not in. Help me begin and end every day by saying, "Yours trustingly." In Jesus' Name. Amen.

For further study:

    Proverbs 11:25-31; Jeremiah 17:5-8
    1. What did the psalmist compare himself to when he trusted in God's love?
    2. What happens to the man who relies on other people for his strength?