Proverbs 1
Prologue: Purpose and Theme
“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young- let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance- for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:1-7)
If I end my years as foolish as I was at the beginning, I would consider my life a failure. If I spend my life making mistakes and learning from them, I will consider my life a success. I am not here on earth to acquire possessions or to gain social or financial status. I am here as a creature that God created, one of His blessed children, with a purpose that He has laid before me but not made clear. Yet, He shows me the way. He leads me and I follow. I so desire to please Him that my heart often aches with yearning. I thirst for wisdom so I may do what is right.
As much as I would *love* to know what He has in mind for me, such vision could blow my mind. What use am I to Him if I’m drooling and babbling in a padded room? No, I have to go the way of learning, being disciplined, becoming discerning. Listening for Him and seeking Him through all of my days.
Another way to appreciate this is to know that God is my co-pilot. If He holds the map with all of its complexities and ever-changing routes, including awareness of paths that intersect with others, He can most effectively guide my course and protect me from harm. If, instead, He slaps me with an understanding of my purpose (destiny), I may well venture off on my own, confident in my ability to get myself there independent of His presence. That is counter to His desire for closeness.
No, it is best to have company on this journey and God is an excellent traveling companion.
Go in peace to love and serve the LORD.
Why Ft. Davis? Sorry. God distracted me my whole life by placing me here in Texas. Just love the place. Feels like heaven most of the time, ’cause I guess this is where He wants me.
BFF
I was looking at map images and this particular section of Texas struck my fancy – it seemed to reflect the right balance to illustrate the roadmap and lifemap concept.
And, I certainly love Texas as well!