Wow! Something people have been striving for for years - long life, and, with the added bonus of peace. How do we get that long life? By keeping the Lord's commandments and teachings. This may sound rather difficult or boring to some, but Jesus said in Matthew 11:30 that His yoke is easy and His load is light. He basically boils it all down to loving Him. When we love the Lord and trust Him (not our limited understanding of what's going on), and allow Him to work, He directs our paths. Again, Wow! Many times I have no idea where the path is going that He's taking me on, but I know it's better than any path I could strike out on by myself.
Today, March 19th, 2008, is our 20th anniversary. This has been quite a journey and the path has sometimes been rocky and difficult, especially when I've been walking on my own. However, when I trust the Lord and let Him lead me, He makes the way straight. I know what I'm supposed to do and He gives me the strength to do it, if I will lean on Him.
I love the next verse - do not be wise in your own eyes. How many times have I thought I had something under control, or given "advice" to someone, only to have it be sooo wrong. We're back to that fearing the Lord idea again. Interesting that this verse has 1. not being wise in your own eyes, 2. fear the Lord and 3. turn from evil, all together. Hmmmm, I do believe He's trying to tell me that when I think I've got it all together, it's actually evil, because, I'm not fearing Him. In other words, I'm taking His place (He alone is wise) and not needing Him. Ouch.
Verse 9 tells us to honor the Lord with the *first* of our produce and our wealth. God doesn't need our money. He owns it all. But, we need to give it to Him, to remind us that we don't own it all.
Verses 11 and 12 remind me that the Lord is a loving father that will discipline and reprove when necessary. Just as we correct our children out of love (or at least that's supposed to be why we correct them), God does with us. Hebrews 12:4-11 expands this idea that the Lord disciplines those He loves. Verse 8 says that if He doesn't discipline us, that we are not His children. Verse 11 says that the discipline doesn't feel good for a time, but in the end, when we've been *trained* by it, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. I'm so thankful for God's correction. Does it hurt? Oh yes. Does it train? Most definately.
The next several verses talk of wisdom and how blessed the man is who finds it. Where do we go to find wisdom? Again, James 1:5 tells us if we lack wisdom to ask of God, and He'll give it generously and without reproach. There's lots of wisdom out there today. Alot of it is the world's wisdom. Some of it is my wisdom (or what I think is wisdom). The only wisdom that grants us the benefits listed in these verses is from the Lord. The only way to get His wisdom is to ask Him for it.
There is so much more in this chapter, but I've gone on long enough. However, I, too, will point out that the Lord curses the house of the wicked (that's simply those who act as if there is no God), but blesses the home of the righteous (those in right standing with Him). Lord, may I and my family be right before You.
Kim
Proverbs 5
1My son, give attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding;
2That you may observe discretion And your lips may reserve knowledge.
3For the lips of an adulteress drip honey And smoother than oil is her speech;
4But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5Her feet go down to death, Her steps take hold of Sheol.
6She does not ponder the path of life; Her ways are unstable, she does not know it.
7Now then, my sons, listen to me And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8Keep your way far from her And do not go near the door of her house,
9Or you will give your vigor to others And your years to the cruel one;
10And strangers will be filled with your strength And your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien;
11And you groan at your final end, When your flesh and your body are consumed;
12And you say, "How I have hated instruction! And my heart spurned reproof!
13"I have not listened to the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to my instructors!
14"I was almost in utter ruin In the midst of the assembly and congregation."
15Drink water from your own cistern And fresh water from your own well.
16Should your springs be dispersed abroad, Streams of water in the streets?
17Let them be yours alone And not for strangers with you.
18Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be exhilarated always with her love.
20For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?
21For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He watches all his paths.
22His own iniquities will capture the wicked, And he will be held with the cords of his sin.
23He will die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.
Proverbs 5 (New American Standard Bible)
1My son, give attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding;
2That you may observe discretion And your lips may reserve knowledge.
3For the lips of an adulteress drip honey And smoother than oil is her speech;
4But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5Her feet go down to death, Her steps take hold of Sheol.
6She does not ponder the path of life; Her ways are unstable, she does not know it.
7Now then, my sons, listen to me And do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8Keep your way far from her And do not go near the door of her house,
9Or you will give your vigor to others And your years to the cruel one;
10And strangers will be filled with your strength And your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien;
11And you groan at your final end, When your flesh and your body are consumed;
12And you say, "How I have hated instruction! And my heart spurned reproof!
13"I have not listened to the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to my instructors!
14"I was almost in utter ruin In the midst of the assembly and congregation."
15Drink water from your own cistern And fresh water from your own well.
16Should your springs be dispersed abroad, Streams of water in the streets?
17Let them be yours alone And not for strangers with you.
18Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be exhilarated always with her love.
20For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?
21For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He watches all his paths.
22His own iniquities will capture the wicked, And he will be held with the cords of his sin.
23He will die for lack of instruction, And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.
Proverbs 5 (New American Standard Bible)
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1 comment:
Great insight Kim!! I love your understanding and other references to the bible. Happy Anniversary!! 20 years is something to take note on. Sure wish you could come for coffee this morning like we used to some days. My prayer is you and your family will have a special day on Sunday when we celebrate the Ressurection of our Lord. Have a wonderful day.
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