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Author: The Rev. Dr. David Bridges, Priest
November 24, 2020
The Bible book of Proverbs is
a collection of the wise sayings of King Solomon, the son of King David of
Israel. Solomon was writing instructions for living into the will of God and
into the great potential God implanted in the human race.
For Solomon, the prayer that God’s “will be done on earth
as it is in heaven” (originally from an old Hebrew prayer), is our
responsibility. In order for God’s will to be done, we need to learn the
basics, then continue to grow. This is what Solomon is offering us.
He begins by explaining the purpose of his writing as a
way of instruction for people to know how to live rightly, justly, and
honorably. He emphasizes the basic importance of honoring God: “When you stand
in awe of YHWH (Almighty God) – that is when you begin to really understand.”
(See Proverbs 1:7)
Step one: Stand in awe of God. How long has it been since
you have been awestruck by God? Do you look at a sunrise or sunset and feel
humbled? Do you watch animals or birds playing and smile? Are you amazed at the
complexity of life and admire the designer?
Perhaps you are so absorbed with everything “making
sense” or you being “in charge” that you miss out on the mystical wonder of it
all. Solomon is telling us to make God the primary focus of our lives. We could
compare this with going to the authorized service center for our automobile.
The mechanics that know the vehicle best are the ones trained by the factory.
Likewise, we must turn to the designer and creator of
life if we want to understand life. We cannot behave as if we thought all of
this up on our own. We need to be in contact with the originator. When we take
the first step of “seeking God”, we must set ourselves aside so we can see
something greater than ourselves.
That is one of our biggest problems; setting ourselves
aside. What if this life is not all about us? What if, the more we serve
others, the more we are blessed. That doesn’t fit with our capitalist way of
living where “he who dies with the most toys wins.” The truth is, he who dies
with the most toys is still dead!
Jesus warns us not to put too much importance on earthly
things because nothing on earth lasts forever. But we can’t help ourselves. We are
designed with the need to worship something. Our problems center around the
things we worship; money, power, status, food, possessions, etc., etc.
If we actually focused on worshipping God, rather than fully
being part of a society that can never have enough, we could have everything we
need and far more. But when we want to have it all, we will not have time for
God. First things first.
Blessings and Peace to You
All,
Fr.
David+
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