seeking wisdom

Good evening friends,
As we remember those who served their country in the armed services, especially those who lost their lives in that service, let us also pray for peace. Today's reading is from Proverbs, which is often attributed to King Solomon. The passage is a poem praising the virtues of wisdom. In the Bible wisdom isn't just smarts; it's ethically engaged, experience-based, intelligence. Solomon writes that knowing God is the root of wisdom. Seeking wisdom is a good goal in all we do as we try to grow in knowledge and faith.


God bless,
Sam


Proverbs 2:1-15

My child, if you accept my words and treasure up my commandments within you,
2making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;
3if you indeed cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding;
4if you seek it like silver, and search for it as for hidden treasures—
5then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
6For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
8guarding the paths of justice and preserving the way of his faithful ones.


9Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path;
10for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11prudence will watch over you; and understanding will guard you.
12It will save you from the way of evil, from those who speak perversely,
13who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,
14who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil;
15those whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.

succession

Good morning brothers and sisters,
Yesterday we read about God's promise to David to raise his descendants to the throne as well. This promise comes early in David's reign, after he becomes king of the whole country. Today's reading skips ahead to the end of David's reign. David has been king for 40 years and has had many sons. As he sees his father getting old, the oldest son, Adonijah, gathers a group of leaders and has himself crowned as king. Other leaders, especially Nathan the Prophet, rally to have Solomon crowned instead. Israel is God's kingdom, but it still has the same scheming for power that every other nation faces. Still, God's plans move forward and humans have a chance to participate.

blessings as you serve God's kingdom today,
Sam

1 Kings 1:15-31

¹⁵So Bathsheba went to the king in his room. The king was very old; Abishag the Shunammite was attending the king. ¹⁶Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king, and the king said, “What do you wish?” ¹⁷She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne. ¹⁸But now suddenly Adonijah has become king, though you, my lord the king, do not know it. ¹⁹He has sacrificed oxen, fatted cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the children of the king, the priest Abiathar, and Joab the commander of the army; but your servant Solomon he has not invited.

²⁰But you, my lord the king—the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. ²¹Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, that my son Solomon and I will be counted offenders.” ²²While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan came in. ²³The king was told, “Here is the prophet Nathan.” When he came in before the king, he did obeisance to the king, with his face to the ground. ²⁴Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne’?

²⁵For today he has gone down and has sacrificed oxen, fatted cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s children, Joab the commander of the army, and the priest Abiathar, who are now eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ ²⁶But he did not invite me, your servant, and the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon. ²⁷Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not let your servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” ²⁸King David answered, “Summon Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king. ²⁹The king swore, saying, “As the Lord lives, who has saved my life from every adversity, ³⁰as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so will I do this day.” ³¹Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, and did obeisance to the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”