Dear Cornerstone Family,
I have the honor of sitting with people of all ages and stages during significant, even life-changing, moments. Very often, those moments include making difficult decisions–like the decision to move to another town, to take a certain job, or to turn the life support machines off. These are hard, hard decisions.
As different as the decision to take a job or turn off life support is, one thing is similar. Whenever I ask, “How can I help?” the response almost always includes the request, “Pray for wisdom.” Having lived long enough to pass through a number of life-changing moments and face a variety of difficult decisions, I get it. During such moments, no one feels they have the wisdom they need.
Except it’s not just life-changing moments. Truth be told, we feel this all day every day! What middle schooler facing the complicated dynamics of who to sit with in the lunchroom hasn’t thought, “I’m not wise enough for this!” And what parent trying to raise said middle schooler hasn’t thought, “I’m not wise enough for this!” Life’s daily responsibilities and challenges have a way of bringing us to the end of ourselves. Which is why no matter what is going on, when asked, “How can I help?” we respond, “Pray for wisdom.”
The felt need for wisdom is often more acute at the beginning of a New Year. As we imaginatively pace through the months, we see family transitions and doctor appointments, annual reviews and bank account balances, graduations and home repairs. In a word, we see challenges we’re not ready for. This is especially true for those entering 2022 with the unresolved issues of 2021 still snapping at your heels.
Listening to the variety of needs in our midst right now, I pressed pause on my original preaching plan for the start of 2022 and, instead, decided to dip into the Bible book most known for wisdom. You guessed it: Proverbs! For the month of January, we’re going to pursue the wisdom of God by taking a slow walk through the rich instruction of Proverbs 3:1-12.
Wisdom for the New Year
January 2—Proverbs 3:1-2 “My Son, Remember and Keep My Commands”
January 9—Proverbs 3:3-4 “My Son, Holdfast to Love and Faithfulness”
January 16—Proverbs 3:5-8, “My Son, Trust and Acknowledge Me in Everything”
January 23—Proverbs 3:9-10, “My Son, Honor Me with Your Wealth”
January 30—Proverbs 3:11-12, “My Son, Receive My Loving Discipline”
As we enter this study together, consider committing this section of Scripture to memory this month. Some of you are familiar with parts of it already. With a little effort, it might not be too difficult inscribe these words on the tablet of your heart–which, by the way, is exactly what Proverbs 3 would have you do!
Grace & Peace,
