Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. —Psalm 119:11
I'm reminded of the time my friends and I went camping. As luck would have it, it was pouring outside, so we couldn't be outside under the stars in our tents (although I will get to do that someday). So, what did we do? We pitched our tents in the attic of our friend Kelly's cabin out near Raystown Lake. Jason had figured out how the material went and where it should be, but it wasn't working out. For some reason my brilliant physics major friend was missing an essential ingredient. Finally, I found the missing piece of the frame that had been left by the wayside, and our tent was stable and steady and ready to 'protect us from the elements of mothballs' or at least provide a perfect backdrop for our shadow puppets.
But our hearts are like that. In order to keep ourselves 'healthy' or pure or holy spiritually, we need every part of the frame in place. We need every part of His word in our hearts. Not just a part of what God has said, not just a certain passage or teaching from the scripture, we need all of it. Without His word filling our hearts, we run the risk of falling down all together.
I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
My fruit is better than fine gold;
what I yield surpasses choice silver.
I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
bestowing wealth on those who love me
and making their treasuries full. - Proverbs 8:17-21
Yesterday I reflected on the lack of necessity for riches, so it may seem odd that today I'm reading about how Wisdom will grant us riches and honor. But, you may notice that the next line states that the fruits of wisdom are better than gold and surpass silver. So again, the richness that is being talked about is different than the monetary riches we think of. It's also interesting to consider what it means to seek Wisdom. We are told that we will find Wisdom if we seek it. I makes me wonder how many people may claim to seek Wisdom but hide from it, knowing that they don't really want to change and follow the ways of righteousness... that would challenge their ways. It is also seen as something that is bestowed upon us, not something that we gain.
Here at the university, we all appreciate knowledge and learning... but those are very different from wisdom. Knowledge is well and good, but Wisdom is being able to apply your knowledge and experience with great insight. I pray that God may bestow Wisdom upon me... that I may be able to use all the Word that I have hidden in my heart and live for Him always.
Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. - 2 Corinthians 3:4-6
Praise the Lord! He speaks to me through these scriptures in the morning. When I feel so inadequate to be leading a Bible Study or too small to be leading a discussion for intimidating grad students on Friday, He tells me that He will be my confidence. As long as I am doing whatever I am doing for the Lord, my competence comes from Him, and He makes it all possible. I certainly can't claim anything for myself... because who am I to do these things? I am not trained or knowledgeable in all of this. Most of the time, I don't even feel like a real grad student.
But He makes us all ministers of the new covenant through the gift of the Spirit. I am no longer bound to the judgment and failure I face from the law (the letter), because only Jesus could perfectly uphold the law (although He chose not to on several accounts). Instead, I am saved by God's grace and my life comes from the Spirit which gives me confidences and keeps my tent standing... with the Word to keep me from sinning, Wisdom to help me apply it, and the Spirit to minister to all.
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