The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional: 365 Devotions through the Proverbs (3 page)

January 5

A Sober Warning

     
Since you rejected me [wisdom] when I called

          
and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,

     
since you ignored all my advice

          
and would not accept my rebuke,

     
I in turn will laugh at your disaster;

          
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—

     
when calamity overtakes you like a storm,

          
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,

          
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

     
Then they will call to me but I will not answer;

          
they will look for me but will not find me.

Today’s proverb is very serious and, I hope, a sobering warning.

God’s mercy, his love, his kindness to call us out of darkness is amazing. He will send conviction to our souls over and over with great compassion and patience, but if we repeatedly disobey, if we harden our hearts, he will refuse his grace. There will come a time when it is too late.

A few years ago I needed to catch a plane, but I was careless. I got a late start to the airport and hit traffic. It was my own fault. When I got to the gate, the door had closed. Too late. The plane took off without me. But I guarantee you the next time I was to fly, I got up early, and the plane arrived late. So if you are listening, if you have turned your back on wisdom in the past, it’s time to learn from your mistakes. Don’t repeat them. Don’t be careless with your life and don’t be careless with your soul.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Some people don’t like to hear or heed warnings. The captain of the Titanic was one of them. The morning before the disaster, the sky was blue and the sea calm. So he canceled the scheduled lifeboat drill. No need; the Titanic was unsinkable. He received—and ignored—seven iceberg warnings, until it was too late.

If God has sent a flashing light of warning or conviction in your heart, listen. Life has icebergs ahead. Slow down, change course, and allow him to navigate you back to safety.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 11:1–13:4; Matthew 5:1-26; Psalm 5:1-12; Proverbs 1:24-28

January 6

Truth or Consequences

     
Because they hated knowledge

     
And did not choose the fear of the L
ORD
,

     
They would have none of my [wisdom’s] counsel

     
And despised my every rebuke.

     
Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

     
And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

     
For the turning away of the simple will slay them,

     
And the complacency of fools will destroy them.

Today’s Wisdom for Women talks about consequences. It’s been said that sometimes the best way to convince someone he’s wrong is to let him have his way. Or, as James MacDonald puts it, “Choose to sin, choose to suffer.”

Galatians 6:7-8 explains it very clearly. Listen to what it says: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (
NKJV
).

Okay then, let’s look at your life like a garden. Every farmer knows that at every stage he makes choices. In the spring he can choose to plant tomatoes. He knows that if he plants tomatoes he won’t get potatoes. He can choose to pull the weeds when they are small. He can choose to water, and fertilize, and kill every pest that threatens his crop. But he also knows that his choices add up, and one day he will have tomatoes to eat and plenty to share with others.

All this to say: don’t reject the Lord’s wisdom in your life. That’s foolish. Call out to the Lord for the wisdom you need today in all of your choices. They will bear fruit as a blessing today and a blessing tomorrow.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Although this proverb applies to all of us, this is an important message that moms especially need to hear. Those little toddlers to teenagers under your care today will be the decision makers and parents of the next generation. Like a good gardener, will you be diligent to plant the good seeds of integrity, purity, humility, kindness, thankfulness, and godliness in your children’s hearts and minds? Plant the seeds and pull the weeds!

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 13:5–15:21; Matthew 5:27-48; Psalm 6:1-10; Proverbs 1:29-33

January 7

Insight and Understanding

     
My [child], if you accept my words

          
and store up my commands within you,

     
turning your ear to wisdom

          
and applying your heart to understanding—

     
indeed, if you call out for insight

          
and cry aloud for understanding,

     
and if you look for it as for silver

          
and search for it as for hidden treasure,

     
then you will understand the fear of the L
ORD

          
and find the knowledge of God.

As we begin, let me ask you a personal question. Please be honest in your answer. How important is the Bible to you—really? If you say it is important and yet you live day to day like it is less important than your hobbies or your favorite TV show, you’re kidding yourself. Worse yet, you are missing out on the most wonderful, interesting, and life-changing experience there is: digging into the treasure chest of the living Word of God. So listen very carefully to today’s Wisdom for Women.

If you would like to go deeper in learning and growing in God’s Word, good. I love it when someone wants to know how. Let me invite you to my website. It’s called BibleBusStop.com. There are lots of helps there to get you started.

And then when you do read, read prayerfully. As you read, read like you are searching to know God himself. Stop and pray often. Interact with God, using your reading time to discover more than just information. Truly, this is your Father God–child time. Picture it as a journey, a journey to the very heart of God.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

The gaining of insight is a key topic of our proverb today. So, what exactly is insight? Why do we need it? And how do we get it?

Insight is the ability to see and understand clearly the inner nature of things.

We need insight because things are not always as they appear. As moms, we need insight to read what is troubling our children. We need insight when something is amiss in our marriages. We need insight when a friendship is broken.

How do we get insight? Call out! We need to take God at his Word: “Ask and you will receive” (John 16:24,
NIV
).

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 16:1–18:15; Matthew 6:1-24; Psalm 7:1-17; Proverbs 2:1-5

January 8

Shielded

     
The L
ORD
gives wisdom;

     
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;

     
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

     
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;

     
He guards the paths of justice,

     
And preserves the way of His saints.

The Lord does have a special relationship with those who love him and seek him, who walk in his ways and desire what he desires. God never promises that we’ll have trouble-free lives, but he does promise that we’ll never face anything that comes our way alone. Sometimes we forget that all we have to do is ask God for wisdom when life gets complicated, when we’re confused, or when we’re making a hard decision. Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive” (John 16:24,
NIV
).

The Twenty-third Psalm is a great psalm of comfort and hope. “The L
ORD
is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1,
NKJV
). As you read the entire psalm, it’s more than just sweet sentiments. It’s a list, a strong list of promises that cover every need and every phase of life from being hungry to dying.

Think of the phrase “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4,
KJV
). Both the rod and staff are tools to protect us, not just from predators but also from ourselves. We, like sheep, are prone to wander. A good shepherd needs to firmly strike a stubborn sheep, but for those sheep who love to stay near him, a little tap is all that’s needed.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Let’s personally grab hold of the promise in today’s proverb: “He is a shield to those who walk uprightly.” The fiery darts of fear, discouragement, criticism, and temptations are aimed at us. But God is telling us that when we choose to stay close to him, he personally shields us. No, he does not put us in a “holy bubble.” But he does stand with us and for us. We are not alone.

Let’s Pray

Lord, sometimes I do feel overwhelmed and outnumbered. Sometimes evil does seem stronger than good and right. Help me to trust that you are near, holding your shield over my heart.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 18:16–19:38; Matthew 6:25–7:14; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 2:6-15