PROVERBS 2:9-11
Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.
Joy of learning
It is amazing to watch a child learn to read. When they understand the meaning of connected letters in ideas rather than just sounds it is like a light being turned on. My grand-daughter is so excited to show me the pictures that correlate to words as she is beginning to put words to letters.
Learning to read is exhilarating. I can still remember the joy of learning to read words in first grade. I enjoy learning new things to this day. Learning new information is fun and exciting. “Knowledge will fill you with joy.”
I think learning is so fun because intrinsically we are designed to seek after God. As the creator of the world, the designer of motion, space, thought, ideas, science and action, our learning reveals more of God’s creative power. There are some who deny the existence of the creator in learning, but I cannot. I will not deny learning has caused some to leave the simple truths of faith for more “rationalistic” understandings of the cosmos. But these people, I would argue, are merely substituting “chance (or some other force)” for the hand of God.
Learning opens the door to understanding. We should never be afraid of learning more. Neither should we forget who we are ultimately learning about.
Maker of the world, space, and my brain, I thank you for creating in me a desire to know. Thank you for curiosity that pushes me to explore more of the universe. Thank you for being behind every truth I uncover in my searching. I always find you, even when I do not think I am looking for you. You are a great creator. Your knowledge brings me joy. - Dan Jones
Stop seeking God’s will?
Sometimes I think I needlessly wrestle with what direction God wants me to go. My religious subculture is schizophrenic on this matter, as am I.
On the one hand I believe Solomon’s words. The wiser God helps me to become the more I understand what is right, just, and fair in any decision. Use the wisdom I have learned and I “find the right way to go.” Like Dan, I enjoy learning. Books, teachers, parents, mentors, friends, experience, and more have provided a wealth of insight. Aha moments bring me joy. The accumulating impact of learning makes many decisions obvious. No prayer needed. No seeking God’s will. Wisdom has done her job.
But we like God language in my religious sub-culture. “God told me to,” “God led me to,” or “God showed me” impress us more than, “I’ve weighed the options and this is the wise choice”. This is especially true for pastors. When I resign from a church people want to know if that’s what God wanted. When I accept a congregation’s invitation to become their pastor, people ask the question “Is God leading you here?”
If God has helped wisdom to enter my heart then the issue at the heart of every decision time really isn’t finding God’s will, but applying the wisdom he has provided.
Perhaps if I, and those who populate church pews, invested more time learning and gathering knowledge, and less time wondering what God’s will was, God would get less of the blame for just plain dumb decisions! Ironically, less of "God's will" and more of "God provided" wisdom and I think decisions that truly honor God would more dominate my life and our churches.
All-wise God, I will invest more time reading, thinking and reflecting, listening to learned and experienced voices, discovering the truth about myself and my times, and trust you to lead me deeper into wisdom and so lead me in every choice I make. - Mike Leamon
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