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Picture this scene playing out, beloved, as I left the house this morning to run errands. I had just said to my wife that I had to remind myself to take my meds before leaving. I got into the car, backed down the driveway and into the street, and started on my merry way toward town. I had only traveled about 100 feet, however, when I slammed on the brakes, put the car into reverse, and backed my way up the street and into the driveway. To do what? Take my meds! When I went into the house my wife looked at me quizzically and I replied, "Forgot my pills." She chuckled and said, "Apparently you don't even listen to yourself!" (Pause for laughter at Ron's expense)
Have you ever had occasion to say to anyone in your life, especially your children, that "you never listen to me"? I am quite sure that both my wife and I have said those words on many occasions. And I'm equally sure that I gave my parents occasion to say them to me! The truth is, beloved, that at times we all are guilty of failing to listen to someone in our life who is trying to speak wisdom into it.
Scripture here urges us to really listen to wisdom, specifically that wisdom which God introduces into our lives. It is by such divine wisdom that we as Christians are to live, that truth by which we are to govern our lives and our relationships. It is by such wisdom that we are to conduct business, educate our children, set our social interactions, and most certainly worship our Creator. It is also, according to Scripture, the way in which we are to govern ourselves as a nation and it is sadly to our national detriment that the wisdom of God has been all but dismissed from such governing today. All can see that we are headed in a downward spiral spiritually, morally, socially, economically and in every other way imaginable. Even those who do not necessarily believe in God are noting such a trend in society.
So what is the key to recovery? Is it to be yet another government program? Choosing the right president to lead us? Or do we just throw up our hands, tune out and then drop out? None of the above! What did the author of Proverbs 2 say that the answer is? "Make your ear attentive to wisdom." The road to recovery, then, begins with me...and with you...and with each one of us both individually and personally. I must make God's wisdom and its implementation the priority of my life. And you must do precisely the same. There is no other road to recovery, beloved. There is no other rescue. This is one problem that raising taxes or the largest "bailout" in the world cannot resolve. It is either the wisdom of God or it is a very unsavory destiny for us personally and as a nation.
May I remind you of something that Jesus said to those who followed Him about in His day? In these words we find out just why God's wisdom is so vital to our survival and to our success as a people.
"You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life" (John 5:39-40)
The religious leaders of Jesus' day thought that they were above the need for God's wisdom. They thought that they were all already right with God and acceptable to Him in their own right. They thought of themselves as God's people and so they had it made. They searched the Scriptures religiously, and even paid lip-service to the Scriptures as a nation, but all to no avail. They had failed to procure for themselves the wisdom of God! And the wisdom of God, beloved, is found and fulfilled within the person of Jesus Christ. If we would today "make our ears attentive" to God's wisdom, then we are going to have to do so as we come into a living relationship with Jesus Christ. How tragic should one day any person stand before God and hear Him say, "You just wouldn't listen"!
Ron
