Get Wisdom (3)

And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David … 1 Kings 3.3

To make us wise
Getting wisdom is not simply a matter of desiring to be wise. Of course, we must set our hearts to desire wisdom. But we must also dedicate our minds to acquiring those wise insights and perspectives that allow the conscience to process thinking and feeling, through our Kingdom values, into wise and loving actions.

So we need to apply ourselves diligently to those sources that can prepare our soul for wisdom, beginning with the Law of God.

As I have previously explained, the Law of God is a much-neglected resource for gaining the wisdom of the Lord. While the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, real growth in wisdom comes from steady exposure to and immersion in the wise and holy Law of God.

David wrote that the Law of God can make even simple men wise (Ps. 19.7). God explained through Moses that His Law would make the people of Israel a nation wise and to be admired: “Therefore be careful to observe [God’s statutes and judgments]; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’” (Deut. 4.6).

Because Solomon loved and feared God, it was natural for him to turn to the Law of God to get the wisdom he sought for serving the Lord and the people of Israel.

Solomon, Jesus, and the Law
Let us assume that, in turning to the Law of God as his father David had, Solomon followed the protocol assigned to all the kings of Israel (Deut. 17.18-20). This would have required Solomon to prepare a draft of the Law of God in his own handwriting, to submit that draft to the priests for review and approval, and then to keep that draft of the Law with him at all times. As king Solomon was expected to read from the Law daily, to learn the fear of God from the Law, to allow his heart to be shaped in humility by all that the Law teaches, and to walk in the paths of righteousness marked out therein.

Even the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings, followed this same protocol, as He Himself tells us in Matthew 5.17. He, the very Wisdom of God incarnate; He perfectly fulfilled all the Law of God, and determined that it should be foundational for teaching in His Kingdom.

We who have been redeemed by our Lord Jesus Christ, are now a “royal priesthood” unto the Lord (1 Pt. 2.9, 10). We must therefore make it our business to seek the wisdom of God in His Law, so that we might walk in the same path that Solomon and Jesus walked (1 Jn. 2.1-6), and get the kind of wisdom Solomon did for serving God and others.

Repenting of our neglect
If we would be wise, we must repent of having neglected the Law of God so long. Those who neglect the Law of God will find that even their prayers can run afoul of the Lord (Prov. 28.9). But if we apply ourselves to the Law of God, reading and meditating in it daily and seeking by all means to walk in its holy and righteous and good path (Rom. 7.12), then we will find that the wisdom of God will be more readily with us in everything we do.

The wisdom of God is that skill in living that reflects His indwelling presence in our lives. We are on the right path to wisdom when we nurture the fear of the Lord along with our love for Him. And when we daily submit to the Law of God, and, indeed, to all the teaching of God’s Word, we begin to discover wisdom from the Lord for every aspect of our lives, every day of our lives.

We cannot get wisdom merely by asking for it or desiring it strongly. We must apply ourselves to the work of getting wisdom, and this will mean learning from those whom we know to have been wise. For Solomon and Jesus – as for Paul and all the apostles, and great saints throughout the ages – getting wisdom means reading, meditating in, studying, and living obediently to the Law and Word of God.

For reflection
1.  What is the Law of God? What should be the Christian’s relationship to the Law of God? Meditate on Psalm 1 and Matthew 5.17-19 in your answer.

2.  The Law of God is not unto salvation, but for the sake of salvation. In the light of Ephesians 2.8-10 and Philippians 2.12, explain this.

3.  Meditate on Romans 7.12. Why does it make sense to think we might be able to gain wisdom from meditating in God’s Law?

Next steps – Transformation: Spend this day meditating on Psalm 1 and Matthew 5.17-19. At the end of the day, complete this statement: “I need to become more familiar with God’s Law because…” Pray your completed statement back to the Lord, and begin working on it the next morning.

T. M. Moore

This is part 5 of an 8-part series on Purifying the Conscience. To download this week’s study as a free PDF, click here.

Men, God is calling you to pray! Join the other Men at Prayer from the Ailbe Community, and see how you can strengthen your own prayer life, enlist others for prayer, and become part of a movement of men seeking the Lord for revival, renewal, and awakening. Watch this brief video, then take the next step as the Lord leads.

The Lord uses your prayers and gifts to help us in this ministry. Add us to your regular prayer list, and seek the Lord concerning whether He would have you share with us. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the contribute buttonat the website, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.