(from Men’s Healing and Growth Group 2003: Men of Wisdom)
Devotion 1: Wisdom belongs to God
Introduction
At a foundational level, modern western culture is convinced that the future can be controlled by advances in data gathering and processing at an ever increasing rate. This commitment places our culture in contradiction to the biblical world – view that esteems wisdom as indispensable to a worthy life.
Living in the way of wisdom means a commitment to truth, for wisdom is the application of truth to life in the light of experience. Spiritually, wisdom is living truly in relationship with God.
Wisdom Belongs to God
This is the repeated refrain of scripture (Job 9:4; 12:13, 16; Isaiah 28:29; Daniel 2:20; Ephesians 1:8; Romans 11:33; 16:27).
From the beginning all God’s ways are ways of wisdom. Whilst God’s creation may come into being through an act of power, it is framed by wisdom (Proverbs 3:19; 8:22 -31).
Wisdom Distinguishes Good from Evil
Amongst other things, the narrative of the creation of Adam and Eve is a wisdom story. The temptation set by Satan is to depart from God’s revealed wisdom (Genesis 2:17) and embrace a higher order of knowledge (Genesis 3:5 – 6). This assumed that wisdom was a reality that could exist outside of a relationship with God and be accessed by thought and sensation. It was something that could be “possessed” by humanity.
As the rest of scripture teaches, the fruit of wisdom is life, and the rejection of wisdom brings death (Proverbs 3:17- 18; 8:36; 16:25). No wiser request could be made than to be able to discern the difference between good and evil (1 Kings 3:9, 12).
Where Solomon failed in his quest for wisdom, someone greater than he would prevail. Messiah would be filled with wisdom (Isaiah 11: 2 -3). The New Testament identifies this person with Jesus (Matthew 12:42; Mark 6:2; Luke 4:18; John 1:32; 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30; Ephesians 3:10).
The wisdom that is in Jesus is a “hidden wisdom” (Luke 10:21; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Colossians 2:3).
Wisdom Begins with God
Wise people ask and pray for wisdom (1 Kings 10:1; Ps 51:6; Psalm 119:98; Daniel 2:18; 1 Cor 12:8; James 1:5). This means that the path of wisdom is to go from God to reality and not from “reality” to God
This is why the pre-eminence of wisdom in the Bible has to do with the cross and its secret wisdom. The most unlikely place to find wisdom, humanly speaking, is the fullness of God’s wisdom.
By way of application, we need to ask God to reveal where he is currently applying the cross to our lives. From there we can know the “mind of Christ” and actively cooperate with the wisdom of God.