For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
I like the NIV for today’s proverb. It tells us that wisdom teaches us to fear the Lord and that if we want to be honoured we must first be humble.
In the first portion, the psalmist reminds us to follow God’s instructions and commands. I will turn to God for teaching and understanding. I will cry out to the Lord:
Help me abandon my shameful ways;
for your regulations are good.
Then in the second portion, the psalmist tells us that if we trust in God’s word and obey His commands we can stand with confidence before everyone whom we meet. We will have no need to be ashamed and will be able to provide answers to those who attempt to mock us.
If we love Jesus we will follow His instructions, we will do what He has told us. Those who do not do as He directs, do not love Him. When we do what Jesus directs God lives within us. The Holy Spirit will give us further instruction and remind us of what Jesus taught when He was here on earth. We have a two-fold way to learn and follow Jesus. First, we have the written word which tells us what He taught when He was here on earth. Second, we have the Holy Spirit within us, showing us how to understand what was written. The Holy Spirit will never tell us something which conflicts with the written word, but it may show us that we had misunderstood the meaning of the written word. Let us call on the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the meaning of the written word which we read.
If we love Jesus and do as He commands, He will give us peace. This is a more lasting and filling peace than anything the world can offer. The only peace which the world can truly offer is the peace of death. Jesus offers us a peace which conquers death. We have no reason to be troubled or afraid, because, even though the ruler of this world is approaching and has set himself against us, he has no power over us; Jesus has defeated him and stands by our side. Let us do what God requires of us, just as Jesus did. Then the world will know that we love God.
When David desired to build a Temple for God, God sent him a prophecy. In the past when I have read this prophecy, I have seen it as a prophecy about Solomon building the Temple in Jerusalem. And it is indeed that. However, today as I read it I realized that it was also a prophecy about Jesus. God raised up Jesus, a descendant of David, a gave Him a kingdom which will never end. Jesus in turn built a house in which God dwells. That house is the Church and those who are part of the Church. We, each and everyone who puts their faith and trust in Jesus, are God’s house and He dwells within us.
When David received God’s prophecy, rather than be disappointed because God rejected his desire to build a temple he praised God and was grateful for God’s promises. We should be similarly grateful to God for His making His dwelling within us. There is no other god like unto the God we worship. He has done great things. I will be His servant in all that I do.