Happy is the man

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.” (Proverbs 3:13-17)

Good morning, my friend.

Today is gym day. I love gym day! I get to go work out my frustrations, I get to release tension, I get to experience a dopamine dump as I push, jog, sweat, and lift. It leaves me feeling shaky, exhausted, then energized. Oh, and grateful. Thankful I am able to get back into the gym and start getting my strength back. I love gym day.

Better than gym day, however, is any day I can dig into the Word of God and get to know Him better. We all are somewhat familiar with the story of Solomon – how God asked him what he most desired as king – and how Solomon asked God for wisdom to rule his people. I encourage you to go back and re-read Solomon’s biography in scripture. It is very revealing about God and Solomon’s heart. Solomon’s father, David, was known as a man after God’s own heart. Being raised in that environment, you would think it would be a shoe-in for Solomon to follow suit; but alas, that was not the case.

In today’s passage, we are reading Solomon’s words of instruction and thanksgiving as he is on the rise. His kingdom is at peace, he had the privilege of erecting the First Temple in Jerusalem dedicated to the God of his father, Jehovah, he has begun to experience the blessings and favor of God in his life, and all is well. Later on, in the book of Ecclesiastes, we can read his words toward the end of his life – after he has violated God’s commands for him by accumulating hundreds of horses, some 900 wives and 300 concubines (girlfriends), wealth beyond measure, etc. etc. Now, granted, the wealth and power were a blessing to him from God (again, I encourage you to go back and read his story). The horses, in and of themselves, were not evil – except that God commanded him NOT to gather them. The horses represented military strength and were a distraction into thinking their power gave him victory over his enemies. The greater distraction however, as you might imagine, would be having so many women in his life. These he had gathered through alliances with the heathen nations and peoples around him. They came into his life and heart along with their “gods” and strange beliefs and Solomon began to recognize and give honor to these foreign gods as well. Over the years, then, Solomon began to turn away from the One Who put him into that position and so richly blessed his life.

Solomon so clearly displays the circuitous lifestyle we so often exhibit in our own lives. I must always be on guard in my own life because after wrapping up a year like I’ve had these past twelve months – back to health, back to strength, back to blessings – it is easy to forget Who restored me. We all are prone to showing signs of weakness in this area of our lives. When we are under the boot, when the weight of the world is on our shoulders, it is easy to turn to God. We are looking for our heavenly “sugar daddy” to rescue us, we realize we need a savior, we cry out for help from Someone stronger than us. Ahhh, but when the pressure is released and we are set free from the trap, all too soon we go back to our old ways. Just like today for me. In about an hour I will be in the gym lifting heavy weights, building muscle, getting stronger by pushing out the weakness. In my mind I will be thinking that my newly-recovered strength and vitality are all my own doing. After all, I don’t see Jesus on the bench press next to me. I don’t see Him jogging on the treadmill next to me. He’s not the One working out. But, it is God Who gives me the strength, it is God Who holds my next breath and heartbeat in His hand. Without Him, according to the old song we used to sing, I would be nothing. Without Him, I’d surely fail. Without Him I would be drifting like a ship without a sail.

Today, my friend, my challenge to you and myself is that we stop long enough to recognize that everything we have comes from God. If it weren’t for Him, I could easily be lying next to a stop sign with a hand-written placard begging for money. If it weren’t for Him, I surely could be in the ICU at the hospital with tubes coming and going everywhere. Without Him, I could be under six feet of dirt a few blocks away with a stone over my head. We read in scripture that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the doorway through which we enter His Presence. But for my love of the Lord I choose to live in His Presence. I want to think how He thinks, I want to see how He sees, I want to know what He knows, and I want to live as He desires. Not for the material blessings (although I wouldn’t refuse them if He offered), instead I choose this for the fellowship with Him.

I pray that is your desire, too. May you develop and hunger and thirst for God. As you respond to those desires, I pray God pours out His wisdom into your life – by which you, too, will see His hand of blessing open up to you today.

Be blessed.