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Gal. 6
Where have you become weary in doing good? Why should you persevere? “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Gal. 6:8). Once again, God’s word lays out our two options. There are really only two. At the heart of the decision is who will be your master. You can serve God, or you can serve the flesh. Anything that isn’t God is the flesh and is rooted in our own self-centered human nature. With the two options come only two outcomes. To choose God is to choose certain life. To choose the flesh is certain death. There are no variations in these outcomes.
Part of the problem comes in because we, as humans, are not naturally outcome focused beings. Some do better on that than others, but it is very hard for all of us to set aside the here and now for what cannot yet be seen. This is especially true when the shorter-term outcomes before us seem to be in opposition to what they should be. Those who do good meet with persecution and sometimes physical destruction, while the wicked appear to prosper. When Paul says, “Let us not become weary in doing good…” (Gal. 6:9a), it is his encouragement to us to hold fast to our decision to serve God alone. We should not let lies and appearances tempt us, and we should not give in to despair or feelings of futility. Because it is God on whom we rely, we can be certain of the ultimate outcome.
1 Kings 3-4
If God said to you, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you,” what would you ask for? Why? Would God be pleased? What are you doing to learn and add to your wisdom? This story of Solomon’s request for wisdom is well known. But I noticed in yesterday’s reading that his father, David, already considered him wise. This made me think of a Proverb, which Solomon likely wrote. “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.” (Pr. 4:7a). We seek what we value, and it is foolish to not value wisdom.
The story goes on to tell of Solomon’s famous decision regarding the two prostitutes and the one living baby. I see his wisdom in this story as the knowledge of human nature and the understanding of how to apply that knowledge. He chose an action that revealed the women’s motives. He knew that the mother’s heart would be for her child, and the other woman’s heart would be for herself.
Wisdom isn’t just about being able to make good decisions for ourselves. It is also about being able to discern what others are seeking so that we know how to properly respond to them. Such discernment is founded in the knowledge of God’s character, human nature, and how the two stand in opposition to each other. And, as it notes as the end of chapter 3, that kind of wisdom comes from God. It is the kind of knowledge we find in God’s word, revealed to us through prayer and trusting in God’s promise that whoever seeks will find and whoever asks will receive.
Ps. 63
Pray this prayer. Ask God to help you thirst for Him with your whole being! I often wish that I would long for God more than anything else; that, as Stephen Curtis Chapman’s song says, He would be my “magnificent obsession.” To be honest, though, I’m not really sure what that looks like. I certainly don’t think it means isolating myself in a monk-like manner in an effort to keep myself unstained form the temptations of the world. God gave us this life and wants us to engage with the world around us. That much is clear to me in His word. It is also clear that I can’t keep myself pure no matter what I do.
I sometimes wonder if it means investing a greater percentage of my time and resources to “godly” endeavors than to any other single thing in my life. Reading the Bible, praying, serving the church or the needy, and missions work are all seemingly godly efforts. But that still feels like turning to my own efforts. Honestly, I think an obsession for God is probably more subtle than any of that. I think it goes back to intentional living; seeking to stay in step with God in whatever endeavor you find in front of you.
This is not such an easy thing to do in a world full of busy-ness and distractions. How often do my thoughts turn to God during the day? And how often do I seek Him before making decisions or taking action? I want to build a habit of relying on God and turning to Him first every time. If I can do this then, just as I notice when I go far too long without water, I will notice when I have been too long looking away from God.