Saturday, December 3, 2011

Proverbs 25 & 26 - Wisdom and Warnings

LINK: Proverbs 25  & Proverbs 26 
(Read over the next two days)

BACKGROUND 

The proverbs between Proverbs 25-29 were proverbs of Solomon collected by Hezekiah's men 250 years after Solomon wrote them (2 Kings 18-20; 2 Chronicles 29-32; and Isaiah 36-39). How timeless they are!

Many verses in Proverbs 25-26 make comparisons using "like" or "as". Proverbs 25 contains 12 and Proverbs 26 contains 13. They are "Homilies (mini-sermons) in Similes." 

Many of the sayings in Proverbs 25 are particularly applicable to leaders. Proverbs 26 deals with fools, sluggards, and lips!

REFLECTION

I see a key repeated word throughout Proverbs -- heart! It is mentioned 69 times! Wisdom begins in the heart and ends with actions from the heart. 

APPLICATION 

Is your relationship with God a relationship of the heart or one of duty, going through the motions, or just going with the flow of Christian culture?  I have seen many who I knew when I was young who did not settle their issues of the heart, and in middle age, they have burned out, become bitter, and bagged their faith.  

Go in for voluntary heart surgery today!  Talk with God and get to the heart of the matter with Him. I pray you will bind your heart with His heart. 

PRAYER

Lord, draw our hearts to You and help us to guard our hearts with all diligence so that our lives will overflow for You and Your glory. Amen. 

1 comment:

Carol Ann Weaver said...

Matters of the heart here. I have been reading a lot about brain science and attachment to God. Praying for those involved with people who seem to be very detached from God.