Devotions

Rev Gav

Wisdom

Psalm 111.6–end

He showed his people the power of his works
in giving them the heritage of the nations.
The works of his hands are truth and justice;
all his commandments are sure.
They stand fast for ever and ever;
they are done in truth and equity.
He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant for ever;
holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
a good understanding have those who live by it;
his praise endures for ever.

Reflect

‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and those who live by it gain a good understanding.’

Wisdom is one of those things I would love to have. When I look back on my life, I can say (with quite a degree of certainty) that some of my decisions have not been wise! I am also envious of those people who seem to exude wisdom — people, who when you are in their presence seem to listen, be slow to speak, and offer words with a kind of sacred gentleness and gravitas. I have been blessed to know one or two of these ‘wise old coots’ in my time and my life has been all the better for them. So, where does this wisdom come from?

The Psalmist is very clear about the source of wisdom, and it begins with a ‘fear of the Lord’. The word for fear in Hebrew is ‘yirat’ and, in the Old Testament, it only appears in the phrase ‘fear of God’ or ‘fear of the Lord’. Now, this is not an ‘afraid’ kind of fear but means to have an awe, respect, and reverence for God. So then, how do we have this awe?

I grew up in church communities that were not very good at expressing emotion. In fact, I would go further to suggest that emotions were intentionally stifled in church settings, yet to feel awe and then express that awe in offering respect and reverence is to have an emotion and then act upon it. Yes, it is more than okay to have emotions and to feel!

To feel awe, we need to take time to consider God’s power and goodness, and when we do this we will feel both awe and love for God.

Each one of us is different, but I suggest that for many of use we feel awe when we observe nature — by the sea, in mountains or forests, looking through microscopes, staring at the heavens, or considering the wonder of, for example, mathematics or biology — anything with God’s fingerprints all over it. It is why rainbows and sunsets are a firm favourite with us Fabbers!

The point is that when we do this, when we take this time out to ponder God’s awesomeness, this is when our wisdom ends and God’s wisdom begins, and there is no big secret, for God’s wisdom is available to all of us, including you.

For today’s prayer we will use the first two verses of the well-know traditional hymn, ‘O Lord my God! when I in awesome wonder.’ I will leave the old-fashioned language in there because… well.. it works!

Pray

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
consider all the works thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
thy power throughout the universe displayed;

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee,
how great thou art, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee,
how great thou art, how great thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee,
how great thou art, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee,
how great thou art, how great thou art!