The Rewards of Wisdom
Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast. 19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens.
Good morning, it’s still early here in Dallas Tx; the sky is dark, street lights are lit; a glistening mirror of wetness covers the surface of the ground as though to be a dew, but it’s no dew; in a few hours … sunrise. There is a graceful thunder rumbling outside, although, at times, the thunder is strong enough you can feel the vibration of its sound; cars all around our neighborhood are sounding the alarm as though being broken into simultaneously; as the seconds count, a subtle rainfall begins only to end in minutes thereafter, but not before the sound of another … rumble.
You know what; I think that might have nothing to do with today’s devotional, but it felt good when writing it out, perhaps because I love stormy weather and nonfiction stories are the best when a storm is involved—that holds more weight than my opinion, okay, don’t judge me, it’s fact.
Now let’s watch how that storm navigates into wisdom being a tree of life in the midst of our impending death. Don’t be discouraged by the storms you experience in your life (which is much easier written than practiced in real time); no matter what that “storm” is described as for you, it’s not the end according to our gospel if we are holding fast to the tree of life that is wisdom. Hold fast with me. She is our experience of happiness. Wisdom is a lady that blesses us with the reward of gladness in the face of adversity because we’re alive in Christ our Lord, Jesus. Jesus is the salvation of our souls, and no amount of sin is capable of removing that promise upon belief in Jesus Christ.
However, the gospel warns us about people choosing to remain in their sin of disobedience to this gospel. To believe in Jesus means to have wisdom as our tree of life that seals us in the book of life, but if we’ve continued in our sin after claiming to be Christian then we’ve missed the mark of conviction that secures our promise through faith. Jesus tells us to go and sin no more. It is by grace through faith we are saved by the work of the cross, not our cross, but the cross of Jesus Christ. What that means is that the Holy Spirit of God will help us live in obedience to the gospel through faith as we learn more and more through the discipline of divine inspiration—the Word of God at work in the heart, mind, soul, and strength of our conversion (born again).
Hold fast to what wisdom teaches us in the letter to the Hebrews:
6:17 In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Whenever we hear to understand this gospel, there is an experience of conviction that pierces the conscience of a person. That experience is the truth said in love by almighty God, telling us about our sin condition that died with Christ Jesus, the Son of God; Jesus made peace with God our Father (God had poured out His wrath on our sin that His only begotten Son took on our behalf) when He [Jesus] was crucified to death for our salvation—which means we are to be resurrected as a new creature—born again with a seal of promise, our hope set before us as an anchor of the soul—eternal life. So if you’re still in sin while claiming Christian, it’s time to repent and be saved to a living purpose rather than a dead one in Hell.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.
God our Father in Heaven through the mighty Name of Your only begotten Son, Jesus. I pray for me and my friends reading this devotional that might not know the glory of Your Lady Wisdom that blesses us with the memory of Your law and commands for long life and length of days and peace added to us. Thank you so much for sending Your only Begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins, and I pray we will take hold of the tree of life and hold her fast. In Jesus Name … Amen.
RESOURCE
Proverbs 3 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org | biblegateway.com
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; 2 For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. 3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. 9 Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine. 11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, 12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. 13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. 14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast. 19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. 20 By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew. 21 My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck. 23 Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; 26 For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. 27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it, ”When you have it with you. 29 Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you. 30 Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. 31 Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways. 32 For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright. 33 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. 34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted. 35 The wise will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor.
COMMENTARY
Chapter 3
Matthew Henry (P3-V18) Commentary
3. It is the happiness of paradise (v. 18): She is a tree of life. True grace is that to the soul which the tree of life would have been, from which our first parents were shut out for eating of the forbidden tree. It is a seed of immortality, a well of living waters, springing up to life eternal. It is an earnest of the New Jerusalem, in the midst of which is the tree of life, Rev. 22:2; 2:7. Those that feed and feast on this heavenly wisdom shall not only be cured by it of every fatal malady, but shall find an antidote against age and death; they shall eat and live for ever.
"NOT WITH INK" 