in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us
with all wisdom and understanding." -- Ephesians 1:7-8
Wisdom is, and starts with, the humility to accept the fact that
you don't have all the right answers, and the courage to learn
to ask the right questions. -- Author Unknown
WISDOM
Wisdom my friend is free for the asking,
If you're lost with no purpose for living;
Search every sage for the meaning of life,
Dabble in the darkness or dance in the light;
Only when you're willing to admit your doubt,
Might the questions you're asking help you out.
J E POLLOCK / MARCH 2010
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives
generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 1:5
WISDOM FOR THE WAY
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201:5&version=TNIV
We have not even begun to live if we lack the wisdom God wants to give
to us, That wisdom is ours simply for the asking, and it brings us
into a whole new and exciting world! Like birth, it will take time and
it may be a painful process. But when it comes you'll be amazed how
clearly things will come into focus. You'll begin to feel like a new
creation. No wonder Jesus referred to it as being "born again."
When we operate in the sphere of the wisdom of God, when it is at work
in our minds and in our lives, we look at life through lenses of
perception and we respond to it in calm confidence. There's a
remarkable absence of fear. We are not seized with panic. We can
either lose our jobs or we can be promoted in our work, and neither
will derail us. Why? Because we see it with God-given objectivity. And
we handle it in His wisdom.
We can dip into an unexpected valley or we can soar to the pinnacle of
prosperity, and we can cope with both extremes. His wisdom provides us
the necessary objectivity and stability. This is not some dreamland
fantasy. It is reality. It is the ability to live above the drag of
human opinion and horizontal perspective. It is what happens within us
when wisdom goes to work.
The wisdom of God gives us balance, strength, and insight. Non of
these is a natural trait, each is a by-product of wisdom. We don't get
these things just because we're human beings. They must come from God.
But the more we glean God's wisdom, the more strength we gain to live
with questions and tension. He doesn't issue rules and regulations for
every moment. He provides some overall guidelines and principle, then
He allows us to make the decisions. Why? By doing this the wisdom of
God goes to work, and we begin to learn how to walk through
life---which is often full of subtle and unseen "land mines." His
wisdom provides the sixth sense we need. It matures us so that we can
press on in spite of the unanswered questions.
The good news is that such wisdom if ours to claim through an intimate
relationship with God's Son, Jesus. He is the channel through which
wisdom comes to us. In coming by faith to the Lord Jesus Christ, we
are given open access to the wisdom of God. With the Son of God comes
the wisdom of God. It's all part of the package.
BY CHARLES R. SWINDOLL
