Proverbs 3:1-35
Saturday, 04 February 2023
“Store my commands in your heart. If you do this………. and your life will be satisfying.” -Proverbs 3:1-2[NLT]
Proverbs gives us many prescriptions for life by way of instructions, warnings, commands and experiences from life. Several portions are addressed to “My son” which implies a father’s advice to his son. Our text today has one such set of guidelines which we can list down as ‘Prescription for a Satisfying Life.’
· Trust the Lord completely
Only if Christ Jesus is the Lord of your life can you trust Him completely. This is then to acknowledge Him in all your ways so He can direct your paths. It is also to learn to lean on to God and not assume we know it all and can figure things out ourselves! Jesus said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart…” (Matt.11:29)
· Reverence the Lord, and turn your back on evil
Giving God the due reverence in our lives by putting Him first above all, keeping His Word will help us shun evil. His Word is a light for our path that prevents us from going astray. Prov.9:10 [TLB] says: “For the reverence and fear of God are basic to all wisdom. Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding.” Keeping our lives free from evil gives us a healthy life and vitality.
· Honor the Lord with your first fruits
There is a blessing when we honour God with our first fruits; it acknowledges that He is the Giver of good gifts— “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” (James 1:17). It is to come before Him with thanksgiving for His provision and His tender care. We are to remind ourselves that if we trust in the Lord continually, we will lack no good thing (Psalm 34:10). This leads to His abundant blessings.
· Accept the Lord’s correction
Just as a good shepherd who cares for his flock brings back those straying, with the shepherd’s staff, the Lord uses the rod of discipline to those who stray away from Him. That’s because He loves us and does not want us falling into a ditch! Hebrew 12: 6 [NLT] remind us: “For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”Though it may be painful, there is a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way (Heb.12:11).
· Get wisdom, far precious than jewels
Spending time to gain wisdom from God’s Word is far better than going after getting rich and amassing the wealth of the world that does not last. The value of wisdom far more than any jewels you could own. Colossians 2:3 [NLV]: “In Christ are hidden all the riches of wisdom and understanding.” So getting to know Christ, the Source of all wisdom is the key!
· Never tire of loyalty and kindness
Though given at the beginning (V.3&4), loyalty and kindness are traits to be embraced by the Christian- just like being bound around the neck and written in the heart. These traits when practised will earn you a good reputation with God and people. You will win their favour with these qualities.
If we consider the life of Joseph in the Bible, his life reflected many of the qualities mentioned here- trust and reverence in the Lord, shunning evil, staying loyal to God (in spite of difficult circumstances) and in his work with Pharaoh, bestowing kindness to his bothers even though they had harmed him—Joseph was rewarded with a satisfying life- an example of a life blessed in the Lord!
We too can reflect on these prescriptions and take them and thus be rewarded in living a life of satisfaction!
Let all that I am praise the LORD;
With my whole heart, I will praise His holy name.
Let all that I am praise the LORD;
May I never forget the good things He does for me.
Psalm 103: 1&2 [NLT]