Travel in the desert cannot be haphazard.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Lonely Men)
“I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate dangerous animals in the land, so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.”
–Ezekiel 34:25 (HCSB)
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“Life is a privilege which God wants us to value. When we turn from Him and pursue our own selfish desires, we lose sight of the sacredness of His gift.” (Dan Dick) With that in mind we turn to Proverbs 3:16-18 some reasons why we should seek and search and ask for wisdom.
16 — Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor.
17 — Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 — She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her. (NKJV)
The person who has discovered wisdom has found a priceless treasure. These are individuals who understand that happiness and peace do not come from the amount of wealth one has. They understand that the eternal is to be preferred over the temporal. “As a person comes to know God better he or she will avoid those activities which are self-destructive and unprofitable. The person receives a deeper appreciation of God in the world. Life becomes more meaningful and the person gains new understanding of what it means to be a success.” (Dick) Look at what God did for Solomon when he asked for wisdom, the ability to judge the people and discern between good and evil. God replied to Solomon, “And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in My ways to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” (1 Kings 3:13-14, NKJV)
Who does not want a pleasant life? Who does not want to go through this journey with peace? J.L. Flores reminds us that “There is a pleasure in the duties relating immediately to God.” Serving Him is in itself a pleasure. Robert South tells us that the pleasures from wisdom “never satiates nor wearies.” There is a calm assurance as we go through life. We are free from the company of anxious doubt, we are free to move about in our actions that are pleasing to God. We should also remember that “Wisdom of itself is satisfactory, as it implies a revelation of truth, and a detection of error to us.” (Isaac Barrow) Along with a pleasant life will come peace. Know that is not the peace from troubles and trials, but it is peace in the midst of them. “Wisdom makes all the troubles of life easy and supportable, by rightly valuing the importance and moderating the influence of them.”
The tree of life–that is abiding in Christ; it brings a pleasant and peaceful life, a foretaste of heaven so to speak. Note, however, that the tree must be taken hold of. F.B. Meyer states that a “tree requires careful tendence and bearing fruit for the patient cultivator.” In other words, after taking hold of the tree, there must be the vigilant care of it. Grasp hold, hand on, “Wisdom is a tree of life to them that ‘lay hold’ of her.” (Jermin) A little wisdom is like a little godliness–it does relatively little good. To lay hold takes work but the result is worth it. Giovannie Diodati, states that “True wisdom maintains man in the spiritual life of God’s grace, and the communion of the Spirit.” It is to have a conscious void of offense toward God and man. (Meyer)
Let us not forget those magnificent words of Psalm 1, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” (1-3, NKJV) This is true wisdom, godly wisdom.
One other thought lest we forget that Jesus hung on a rugged cross–a tree, if you will. This is the true “tree of life”, the cross of Christ. It offers life, fullness of joy, and peace not only in this life, but eternally.
——————————-
“Life is a privilege which God wants us to value. When we turn from Him and pursue our own selfish desires, we lose sight of the sacredness of His gift.” (Dan Dick) With that in mind we turn to Proverbs 3:16-18 some reasons why we should seek and search and ask for wisdom.
16 — Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor.
17 — Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 — She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her. (NKJV)
The person who has discovered wisdom has found a priceless treasure. These are individuals who understand that happiness and peace do not come from the amount of wealth one has. They understand that the eternal is to be preferred over the temporal. “As a person comes to know God better he or she will avoid those activities which are self-destructive and unprofitable. The person receives a deeper appreciation of God in the world. Life becomes more meaningful and the person gains new understanding of what it means to be a success.” (Dick) Look at what God did for Solomon when he asked for wisdom, the ability to judge the people and discern between good and evil. God replied to Solomon, “And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in My ways to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” (1 Kings 3:13-14, NKJV)
Who does not want a pleasant life? Who does not want to go through this journey with peace? J.L. Flores reminds us that “There is a pleasure in the duties relating immediately to God.” Serving Him is in itself a pleasure. Robert South tells us that the pleasures from wisdom “never satiates nor wearies.” There is a calm assurance as we go through life. We are free from the company of anxious doubt, we are free to move about in our actions that are pleasing to God. We should also remember that “Wisdom of itself is satisfactory, as it implies a revelation of truth, and a detection of error to us.” (Isaac Barrow) Along with a pleasant life will come peace. Know that is not the peace from troubles and trials, but it is peace in the midst of them. “Wisdom makes all the troubles of life easy and supportable, by rightly valuing the importance and moderating the influence of them.”
The tree of life–that is abiding in Christ; it brings a pleasant and peaceful life, a foretaste of heaven so to speak. Note, however, that the tree must be taken hold of. F.B. Meyer states that a “tree requires careful tendence and bearing fruit for the patient cultivator.” In other words, after taking hold of the tree, there must be the vigilant care of it. Grasp hold, hand on, “Wisdom is a tree of life to them that ‘lay hold’ of her.” (Jermin) A little wisdom is like a little godliness–it does relatively little good. To lay hold takes work but the result is worth it. Giovannie Diodati, states that “True wisdom maintains man in the spiritual life of God’s grace, and the communion of the Spirit.” It is to have a conscious void of offense toward God and man. (Meyer)
Let us not forget those magnificent words of Psalm 1, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” (1-3, NKJV) This is true wisdom, godly wisdom.
One other thought lest we forget that Jesus hung on a rugged cross–a tree, if you will. This is the true “tree of life”, the cross of Christ. It offers life, fullness of joy, and peace not only in this life, but eternally.