By Your Light We Are Enlightened

Readings:
Psalm 36
Ephesians 5:21-33

Focus:
Psalm 36:9b: "By your light we are enlightened."

In our Western culture today many sources of enlightenment have been proposed. The wisdom of undeveloped cultures is highly sought after, and folk knowledge possessed by other peoples is valued. The sacred books of non-Christian religions are held in esteem by many. Less valued is the traditional wisdom built up through the ages in Western culture, and even less valued is insight that can be gained from the Bible. Most of all we are advised to look within ourselves for wisdom.

Though all these sources of wisdom have ideas of value in them, it is from the Bible, and from a relationship with God, that true wisdom can chiefly be gained. God is the real source of all wisdom. We cannot find any wisdom in ourselves that he did not create and inspire. And we are so prone to error that we cannot trust our own wisdom. It is only what we learn from God that we can utterly trust. It is only by his light that we are truly enlightened.

Wisdom and Understanding

Readings:
Job 28
I Corinthians 15:29-49

Focus:
Job 28:28b: "The fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to turn from evil, that is understanding."

When I was younger it used to confuse me when I heard people talk about the "fear of the Lord." I wondered why we should be afraid of him. Now I understand it a little better. It doesn't really mean being afraid of God. It means respecting him. (It also can mean having a sort of fear of him, that is, awe of his power and realization of what it could mean for us if we should choose to thumb our noses at him.)

Wisdom for us begins when we respect God and apply our minds to what he wants us to know. Turning from evil gives us understanding. Until we respect God and turn from evil, we do not have true wisdom or understanding, no matter how learned we think we are. Our minds can never approach God's. We can't have true wisdom without him.

God's Wisdom Vs. the World's Wisdom

Readings:
Job 3
I Corinthians 1

Focus:
I Corinthians 1:20b: "God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish!"

Sometimes when we think about the ways that the Bible says that we ought to live, it doesn't sound "smart" or practical. It doesn't seem to be what makes sense with what current thinking is about the best way to conduct our lives.

But that's because God's ways are different from human ways. And God's ways are better. They are wiser. God is rightside up. It is the world that is upside down.

If we follow God's ways, we will be guaranteed to be more deeply happy, satisfied, and content than if we lived any other way. It may not be what we expect, but it will be what we need, and what makes for our true happiness.