Friday, August 17, 2007

covering

"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins."

Proverbs 10:12

So many of Solomon's proverbs are self-evident. He's not revealing deep hidden truths, he's just pointing out the reality of things. When we really love others we identify ourselves with them. When they're hurt, so are we; when they do wrong, we're embarrassed and ashamed for them, and more than anything, we want to see them forgiven and free and able to move on.

Knowing that, I realize all the more how God loves us. He covered our sins, not by patting us on the back and saying "That's ok," but by taking those sins on Himself, crucifying His only Son, breaking His heart over us--so that He can take us in His arms again, call us His children, and say, "Now it's ok. Your sins are covered. You are forgiven." We're free to move on--to move higher, into relationship with Him.

Romans 8:31-34 says it so well:

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

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Wednesday, August 8, 2007

riddlemasters

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

(Proverbs 1:5-6)


Long ago riddlemasters were praised: men who could see the connections between things that others couldn't, men who saw harmony in apparent confusion. He who understands a proverb or parable is wise.

We over-spiritualize wisdom in our churches. We think it a spiritual quality when really, it is just a matter of hearing and seeing and correctly understanding a thing. Scientists are modern riddlemasters; historians may increase learning if they hear the lessons of history and apply them.

But one needn't be a scholar to seek after wisdom. One only needs eyes and ears; the humility to learn and the curiosity to seek.

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Friday, August 3, 2007

soon to come

In the spirit of Heart to Heart: Meeting With God in the Lord's Prayer, I want to spend a lot more time writing about the scriptures themselves. My chief aim is that my readers would be inspired to spend more time in the Word, searching things out and learning more about our Great God as He's revealed Himself.

I recently finished studying through the Book of Acts, and I'm just heading into Proverbs. I'd like to start posting here once or twice a week with writing based on these very different journeys.