Daily Devotion, September 9, 2019

Devotion:

Read Proverbs 1:1-5.

  Proverbs is a wonderful book of the Bible! It has a lot of what I call “bumper-sticker” or twitter statements. It is full of life lessons - guidance for how to live life at its best. It’s lessons learned from experience. If we are paying attention as we go through life, God guides us through experience on how to live life better; lessons we can then share with others. We can also learn those lessons from the experience of others.

  Two verses in this passage speak to both of those opportunities to learn. Verse two says the lessons in this book are for those who need to gain some basic lessons about life. Verse 5 says that even those who have become wise in the ways of life still have lessons they can learn: “...let the wise listen and add to their learning…” 

  This is not only true for life in general; it is certainly true in our life of faith. If we are willing to listen and pay attention and learn from others, there is wisdom from God to gain until our last days on earth. That’s why it is so important to worship together as often as possible and to study with a small group of other Christians as often as possible. We all have wisdom yet to learn from others and wisdom to give to others. Through it all, we grow as individuals and we grow as the Body of Christ, the Church.

Personal Worship Option:

Another of my favorite old hymns is fitting for this lesson from Proverbs. It was written one year earlier than the one I mentioned yesterday! In 1895 Clara Scott penned this prayer:

Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me; 

place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free.

Open my ears that I may hear voices of truth thou sendest clear;

and while the wave notes fall of my ear, everything false will disappear.

Open my mouth, and let me bear gladly the warm truth everywhere;

open my heart and let me prepare love with thy children thus to share.