Grow Resources

Direction makes all the difference. Proverbs 16:17 says, “The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life.” In my mind’s eye, this proverb tells a story. I stand at a crossroads, a decision point. I can take the road left or right. I know the way of righteousness, but there is also a way of ease, a way of comfort, a way of the world. Which will I take? Wisdom calls me to take the highway of righteousness. I am called to turn away from anything that would lead to evil and to death. It may be a habit, a relationship, or a way of thinking. It doesn’t matter what it is, I am called to turn away. And so I make a decision to follow the high road. I start out walking. The journey is spent guarding my steps. I cannot allow future decisions or present pressures to derail my journey. I must be cautious and ever vigilant about what goes into my mind and into my heart. I examine each step. “Is this what looks like Jesus?” I avoid obvious traps. I am deliberate about my journey. Each step brings me experience and wisdom. I know that no step is taken alone. God walks this journey with me. Jesus guides my steps. The Holy Spirit enlightens my thoughts and brings focus. The journey of faith and the story of my life are one. My life is in the hands of a loving God who preserves and perseveres.

Embedding the Bible is a deliberate action to let the Word of God soak deeply into our hearts. When we allow the Word of God to penetrate our entire being, transformation occurs. The thoughts that God has chosen to reveal change how we think and feel about everything we do and face. Looking at Proverbs 12-14 this week highlights the range of topics that can affect us as we walk in this world. Everything from how we speak, how we work, and how we manage money, to the intent of our hearts and the attitudes of our minds are things that God wants us to surrender to Him. The danger in reading though these short proverbs this week is the temptation to read quickly. We must slow down and allow each phrase to come to the forefront of our minds. We must examine the meaning and think of how each proverb addresses the real moments of our lives. Let me encourage you to slow down this week and examine the proverbs so that they have a chance to soak into your heart.

Over the last six years, getting shots at the doctor have taken on a new importance. I have had my fair share of shots as an adult, but they are usually a surprise. I go to the doctor, and the remedy includes a shot. OK, nothing wrong with that. But children have a schedule of shots over a period of years for which you have to be prepared. The shots are not for me, they are for him. They are necessary to his growth and well-being now and in the future. Sometimes they hurt. Sometimes they cause a reaction that we have to work through. In the end, they help to keep him healthy and defend him from nasty things that could happen. Proverbs 10 starts a series of sayings and short pieces of wisdom that act as immunizations for those who want to be spiritually healthy. They are not long pieces of writing, but rather short snippets. Usually each verse contains an entire piece of wisdom for the reader. They work like shots. Sometimes they prick our hearts. Sometimes we react to their truth. But they are there to give us strength and help. They are there to protect us now and in the future. They are full of things we need to know to live and be strong. So get ready. Make a plan. This week, embedding the Bible means getting a shot in the arm.

Proverbs 8:6-7 is one of those passages that touches my heart. Proverbs 6 and 7 have been a warning to avoid the “adulteress.” In Proverbs, this is a picture of one who calls us away from purity and walking by the standard of God in order to satisfy personal longings and desire. She is contrasted in chapter 8 with the call of Wisdom. Wisdom issues a challenge to live and walk in the way of God. Proverbs 8:6 tells us that Wisdom will speak of noble things. I love that picture. We do not live to satisfy self. We are called to a higher standard; challenged to live in the ideal. A place that is noble and pure. Noble brings pictures of knights on white horses, soldiers who give their lives for the greater good, and lives defined by grace, gentleness, discipline, and lived by a moral compass that is steadfastly fixed on God. I want to live a life that is noble. A life that follows where God leads and points others to see Him. I want to be steadfast in my resolve to look like Jesus. Proverbs calls me to more noble things.

Embedding the Bible in our hearts and on our minds is more than simply reading through the words of the Bible. While there is worth and transformation in reading, there is also more to embedding. Embedding the Bible is an act of trust. When we embed the Bible, we open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit and allow our hearts and minds to be changed. It is a time when we commit to living by the standard God has set, laying down the influence of the world and the culture which surrounds us. In a time of changing standards, shifting definitions, and a cultural push to be like the world, we look to God and trust that He knows what is best. Proverbs 3:5-8 is a call to commitment. A call to “lean not” on the wisdom of the world. A call to hold the standard of Jesus high in our lives. Even if it goes against the grain of what our world is doing around us.

We have reached the end of the Psalms. It is an accomplishment to think about how God has shared the heart of His people with us through the words of this book. We have seen the longing for peace and strength that come from walking with God. We have heard the songs of praise and the overflow of joy as God inhabits His people. We experienced the longing for more depth and the promise for more life. The very last verse of Psalm 150 reads, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” It is a call to walk with God. As we turn the pages of our Bibles, we come to Proverbs 1 and hear a promise. We can live a life that is full of God. God wants to give us instruction and guidance for living an abundant life. The Proverbs are just that. Practical wisdom for daily living. Words from God that teach us how to make decisions, avoid worldliness, develop healthy relationships, practice good business, live with integrity, and walk in righteousness. God does not want to us to guess at spiritual growth. He wants to guide the process. As we begin Proverbs, remember the lessons from the Psalms and the depth of love that God has to offer. Now get excited as we learn more about how to embed God’s Word on our hearts so that we can experience what God promises.

Psalm 145:21 says, “My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord.” As we read through the Psalms, I am astonished to think back to how many times we have read words like these. The psalmists tell us again and again that when we are consumed by our relationship with God, when we have embedded God and His Word on our hearts, our mouths open up and praise comes tumbling out. It always reminds me of new parents who can’t stop talking about their children and how great they are. I think of grandparents who revel in seeing their grandchildren. They want to share the moments and invest themselves in these special children. I think of best friends who are so wrapped up in each other’s lives that it is hard to separate one from another. I think of newly engaged couples who talk endlessly about their love and their plans for a future together. I think of people who are so consumed by the relationships in which they walk that they talk about those things that fill their hearts. I want to be what the psalmists seems to take for granted. I want to be so consumed by my relationship with God that I talk about Him, His people, our relationship, His power, His love, and His grace. I want the world to hear praise from my lips and see His presence in my life.

Psalm 136 is a great example of single-minded focus we need in our relationship with God. Twenty-six times the psalmist tells us, “for His love endures forever.” The first three verses set the tone. We are called to give thanks to God because of His ongoing, unfailing love for us. What follows is a picture of God’s movement throughout the history if Israel. We see God leading His people through tough times. We see God blessing His people with safety, victory, and strength. We see God moving in the lives of His people in every moment and through every situation. No matter what happens, God’s love endures, it perseveres, it continues to bless those who walk in a relationship with Him. The psalmist comes back to this central point over and over again. We are blessed because of God’s love. It is not a temporary thing. It is seen in everything that God does. It is not something that becomes rote. God’s love makes each moment special. The psalmist wants us to see what God is doing. The repeated words about God’s steadfast love remind me to come back to center. To see how God’s character, how God’s core touches my life over and over.

We continue this week, reading the “Psalms of Ascent.” Fifteen different Psalms which all point to worship and how we prepare to see God in worship. As we reach Psalm 130, we see an amazing picture of God. The psalmist is coming to God in obvious distress. His words speak about sin and guilt. Stains deep within him that need relief. He describes looking for hope and seeking forgiveness. In verse 6, he describes feeling like he is a watchman, waiting for the morning to come. It is a picture of expectation and hope. The watchman looks for the rising sun. With the sun comes light and the ability to see farther and better. The sun broadens our horizons and brings confidence in our steps and in our decisions. This is what the psalmist needs from God. He needs the sun to shine in his life and change his perspective. He needs the dawn to relieve his heavy burden. He needs the light in order to break through the guilt and shame that haunt his life. God is that light. Today we stand in need of the Son. A Son who will break through the darkness and light our world. A Son that takes away guilt and shame. A Son that extends our vision into the future and brings hope into our hearts. Worship brings us into the Light of God and the radiance of His Son.

Psalm 120-134 are called the “Psalms of Ascent.” Fifteen different Psalms which all point to worship and how we prepare to see God in worship. Eugene Peterson wrote a book about the Psalms of Ascent entitled, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.” I love that title and the picture it paints. Worship is a journey in our lives that leads us in obedience. Worship teaches us to follow God. It makes room in our hearts for God to inhabit. Worship calls us out of the world and into God’s presence. Worship is not a one-time event, but a journey that we walk for life. It marks each of our days and helps us to see God in the “ordinary” moments in which we live. Worship leads us in one direction and to one destination…the heart of God. As we read the Psalms of Ascent together over the next two weeks, be mindful of the imagery that the psalmist draws. He begins in Psalm 120 with a picture of dryness and the need for nourishment, rest, and growth. We come to God, in worship, with a need. The need to look like Jesus. The need for refreshment. The need for nourishment. In worship, God meet us and supplies our needs.