I'm thinking that Mondays are going to quickly become my favorite days of the week, as far as summer is concerned. My coservant Steve Xia picks me up for morning prayer. We go every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday together, and though it's hard to get up at 5:45 AM, I really think the benefits obtained by starting the day off with morning prayer surpass my feelings of tiredness from waking up so early. Fei Zhao, my leader, and other members that made it out join us as we pray for the upcoming day and our small group. Steve drops me off at Wesley for CFC summer school and I get to serve cute adorable little kids, and after that, I go to work. My break involves going back to summer school and cleaning up, but serving with friends redeems the fact that I'm wiping down tables. If anything, I do get fed lunch, and after cleaning, I return to work.
After working, I go to Bible study, which is really challenging and stretching my faith. It's no longer as simple as explicating a passage from the Bible, but rather, questioning what comes out of our mouths to see if what we say is really what the Bible is trying to tell us. There's a lot of emphasis on applications, and this was especially true tonight.
Last night I was in one of those provocative mental states, just thinking about what I wrote last night, about how I wanted spiritual wisdom. From tonight's Bible study, I realized that spiritual wisdom can be reflected through our character. It is clear to me now that I need to study the Word harder, pray more earnestly, surround myself with accountability partners if I even want a chance in changing my character.
As it was previously stated, I think that gaining spiritual wisdom is one way in which our character can change for the better, and last night I decided for my quiet times, I was going to begin meditating on the book of Proverbs. Morning prayer turns out, right after the mini-sermon, to be a great time to do a quiet time.
These opening verses of Proverbs immediately makes clear the purpose of this book. Among the many benefits are attaining wisdom and discipline and acquiring a disciplined and prudent life. Proverbs already sounds pretty exciting, right?
There are a couple things I wanted to point out, the first of which is the emmphasis on how young people are emphasized in the fourth verse. It really shows that as young people, we do lack knowledge and discretion. Like I said last night, it's getting easier for me to think that I'm all-knowing, that I've experience most there is to life, yet I'm still an undergraduate student in college. I haven't even stepped out into the real world! I am much more foolish than I think.
Proverbs, I feel, will help me explicate other passages of the Bible because verses 5 and 6 state that through studying Proverbs, I will acquire wise counsel to help me understand other proverbs, parables, sayings, and riddles. That further emphasizes the importance of diving into Proverbs before tackling more difficult books in the Bible. I feel that by reading into Proverbs, granted I study it earnestly and whole-heartedly, I will undergo a spiritual enlightenment that will bring new depth, meaning, and significance to the Word.
These teachings of wisdom are potent, in that even the most simple-minded will benefit and become wiser. However, we need to be wise enough in the first place in knowing that we must have God in our hearts and fear him. To fear God is the first step towards gaining wisdom, and it is the only way we receive further wisdom. With all that said, I'm excited to study Proverbs.
I pray that the Lord opens my heart to invite him and have him dwell within me, my eyes so that I may see the depth of his wisdom contained within the Bible, and my ears so that I may be continually listening for his words of wisdom and instructions as I live each day. God's power is amazing, beyond human understanding, so may I learn to fear and respect him, lest my daily studies bear no fruit, for fearing God is the step towards obtaining wisdom. May these words not simply pass through, but really dwell within me so that the lessons learned become an integral part of my identity and character, that I may live my daily life according to the instructions contained within the book of Proverbs. By living according to the Word, may I be an example, acting as the light to show others God's wisdom and glory.
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