Every day, it seems, the news gets worse. On every hand there is gloom, doom and dire forecasts of recession and depression. If ever there was a time when we needed wisdom, it is now.
Our governments need wisdom – it sometimes looks as though the economic forces are uncontrollable. We need wisdom at a personal level in a whole range of decisions affected by the current situation. So, where do we turn?
In Corinthians, Paul talks of two sorts of wisdom: the wisdom of God and the wisdom of man. We can choose to live by one or the other.
God’s wisdom looks odd. It works through weakness rather than power, through the insignificant rather than the prominent. And it makes the wisdom that this world has to offer look foolish, empty and short-lived.
We humans always assume that we know better. Perhaps our current situation should tell us otherwise. But we are slow learners. We will always find a way. There will be a solution.
There is no instant answer in the Bible for the current global financial situation. But in God’s wisdom there are values and ideas that might help us through.
Ideas about where we put our treasure, about our priority to care for the weak and the dispossessed, about generous giving rather than selfish accumulation – about worship of God rather than worship of self-gratification.
John Grayston
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
© Scripture Union 2007-2009
3 comments:
The ever-present battle between the flesh and the Spirit, which we can become aware of in our lives, confirms the reality of the 2 different types of wisdom; that of human minds and the mind of Christ.
I have often personally felt that, if I have the right combination of right words to God in prayer/right actions, then I would somehow have the right kind of wisdom -catapulted into my life as it were - as a form of reward. I am starting to finally "get it" though: God will always surprise us with His way - it will be beyond us, beyond our own wisdom - and we must just walk it.
It helps me immensely in these latter days to know that God also wants me to have this "...wisdom that is from above [which] is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." James 3:17
Our family does not have a big income, never has, and perhaps never will (have I lost you?) - but I truly do feel that it is God that sets the boundaries of our lives, not to show how much he approves or disapproves of us, but to enable the perfect circumstances - should we be willing to work with Him - for us to become all we can be in this world before we go to be with Him. Therefore I am learning that the treasure I must seek is that which can only be found in Him, and that I can't be afraid of any personal pain, financial or otherwise, that will be involved.
And even where I get caught up in the "found in Him" part, I know He will give me wisdom if I ask for it, but that it may be something entirely unexpected by me.
This is, at best, a time to reevaluate. I have personally felt, within church walls, the sting of avoidance by those who possess more material wealth them me, who choose to "fellowship" with the more wealthy members. This is undeniable, and brothers and sisters, this should not be.
Material loss can produce in us revaluation.
One further note, if you don't mind: I find John Baillie's 'A Diary of Private Prayer' is very helpful in times of uncertainty and a sense of lack of personally felt wisdom. I can relate to the author. It also is printed so that the left hand side of the open page is blank for notes. There is a wonderful full-page heart-felt prayer for every morning and evening for the duration of 1 month. Then you can start the book again.
It is wonderful to be able to just meditate on the Lord and His attributes; it helps us, I think, to overcome leading in life with our emotions, and can take away the desires in our life that we should not be focusing on.
Life is short here ~ live well; live for Jesus.
thanks for the comments, and what better guide for life is there than 'live for Jesus'
And I pray that you'll find the fellowship you need if you haven't already.
Post a Comment