Anglican Devotional 26 August 2022 – Do Not Neglect God’s Wisdom

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 26 August 2022 – Do Not Neglect God’s Wisdom

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TOPIC: Do Not Neglect God’s Wisdom

TEXT: Proverbs 1:20-33 (NKJV)

20. Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.
21. She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words:
22. “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.
23. Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.
24. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25. Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,
26. I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,
27. When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.
28. “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29. Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30. They would have none of my counsel [And] despised my every rebuke.
31. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
32. For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33. But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

THE MESSAGE:

Solomon in our passage today, attributes human qualities to wisdom. Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open square (verse 20). Wisdom becomes the teacher herself and takes her place at the primary place from which people can hear her instruction (verse 21). Wisdom takes it upon herself to instruct anyone who mocks or rejects her that such a person is defiant. The following people were mentioned in the passage:

(1) The simple ones: These are not people who are intellectually challenged but those who have no moral conscience.
(2) Scorners: Those who mock wisdom and are defiant or rebellious to the ways of God.
(3) Fools: Those who are defiant and against God’s instructions. So, the simple ones are scorners and fools. They must repent and turn to the truth that was preached, if not, their calamity shall be laughed at.

Laughing at their calamity is not a reference to one personally rejoicing in the calamity of others. It is wisdom being vindicated because of the destruction into which the simple, scorners and fools have fallen because they have rejected wisdom. Beloved, remember that, “wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding’’ (Proverbs 4:7). It is very important we know that terrible disappointment awaits all who refuse God’s wisdom or counsel. To avoid this disappointment, we must yield to God’s instructions and seek His wisdom in all that we do. Know that this wisdom, can only be found in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: O God, help me to always apply Your wisdom in all that I do through Jesus Christ our Lord.