Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

GOD’s Wisdom versus Man’s wisdom
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him. 
Paul, a Jewish man trained under the great Jewish teacher, Gamaliel (Acts 22:2-4), makes an interesting claim in the beginning of this passage.  Paul, who was a learned man and a man of strong convictions, declares that he did not come with ‘eloquence or superior wisdom, but in weakness and fear and much trembling’, to share the gospel of Christ, in order to demonstrate that the power of the Spirit (the wisdom of GOD) was infinitely greater than his own wisdom (the wisdom of the world) (v 1-5).  This was a man who could have said that he spoke with great knowledge and wisdom because of his educational and religious background, yet he took no credit for the content of the gospel message that he shared with the world.  The hero of the gospel message is, and will always be CHRIST.
Paul was comparing and contrasting the wisdom of man versus the wisdom of GOD.  The gospel is contrary to human wisdom.  Imagine for a minute, that you are given the task of designing a plan for salvation for the world.  What would your blueprint look like?  I know that I would have designed a plan where I would pay back my bad deeds by doing a certain number of good deeds to even out the balance.  Maybe I would throw in a few rituals to make the whole repentance of sin look official in front of GOD.  I think most of us would probably design something similar.  In fact, most world religions have some variation of this salvation plan.
However, according to Paul, the wisdom of GOD is offensive to the world, when it examines HIS salvation plan.  The world found it repugnant to have the Creator of the world, the SON of GOD, die the death of a criminal, in order that the sins of the world can be taken on and defeated by GOD  (1 Corinth. 1:18).  The gospel of the cross is foolishness in the wisdom of man, but to the believer, it is the power of GOD.  HE trampled death under HIS foot, and sin no longer has power over us because HE overcame it.  THIS IS THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL. 
Isn’t GOD’s salvation plan infinitely more creative, infinitely more powerful than any you could have designed?  Aren’t you glad that we have the cross- a symbol of GOD’s ultimate power over sin?  The plan for CHRIST’s death, burial and resurrection for the salvation of the world was birthed out of GOD’s wisdom.   Isn’t it safe to say, while GOD’s wisdom may be foolish in the eyes of man, but it is powerful and worth believing in?
Thought for the day: an excerpt of a poem “GOD’s wisdom; Man’s Folly” - So wonderful are all His counsels, His wisdom's too great for me, He understands the whole universe,  And the hurt inside, He sees… Just how much God really loves us, Beyond what we can comprehend, For God is more than omnipotent, He is our dearest friend.       © By M.S.Lowndes
Prayer: We thank you LORD that in YOUR wisdom, you saw our need for a SAVIOR and gave YOURSELF up for us to fulfill that need;   we praise YOU that YOUR wisdom is infinitely more precious than the wisdom of man.
Dr. Jeeji Mathunny – Epiphany Mar Thoma Church, NY.

 Theme for the week: Seeking the wisdom of God

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