October 7-8 – Practice makes perfect

That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place.  Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth.  Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”  God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have” - 2 Chronicles 1:7-12

Chuck Swindoll writes: “True wisdom requires us to read God's Word with the goal of practical application, not merely intellectual stimulation. Wisdom applies truth to all of life....and that takes a lot of time..”

He goes on to say that in more than five decades in ministry, he has learned that the quickest way to put the truth of Scriptures into people's lives is first through their heart and then through their head.

This is so true of the Wisdom Books – Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Solomon. All of the poets learned how to trust God through the day by day challenges they experienced and faced head on.

“When hunted by King Saul, David sought the Lord and then praised God when He rescued him. Job endured unimaginable tragedy and ultimately grew to appreciate God's sovereignty. And Solomon finally found the meaning of life in God – only after exhausting every other meaningless pursuit.”

Right in the throes of their experiences, they all clung to God's promises trusting Him implicitly. It was the years of struggle and suffering that showed them how to apply God's truth to their lives in all of it's true reality.

So, let us too press on, and not just graze through the Bible nibbling a word here, and a word there. God's Book deserves our serious concentration because it's wisdom will help us cope with the nagging and inescapable pressures we each face in our daily lives.

Whom have we, Lord, but Thee,

Soul thirst to satisfy?

Exhaustless spring? The water's free!

All other streams are dry.

Mary Bowley Peters.

“Who But Jesus” (with lyrics) – Laura Story, my music choice today. Click on the picture to listen.