Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Growing in Grace and Wisdom
1 Kings 3:4-15
V.9: “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 
This week we’ve been focusing on the theme: “Growing in Grace and Wisdom.” No matter how hard we may try, we cannot grow in wisdom without asking for wisdom in the first place. So what exactly is wisdom. The Webster dictionary defines wisdom as “the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement; the quality of being wise.”

In today’s Bible passage, we see the wisest king of Israel, King Solomon, taking the first step of “Growing in Wisdom,” asking. In verse 9 we see Solomon asking God, “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” Because Solomon took the first step and asked for Wisdom, God granted him wisdom. In verse 12 we see God responding to Solomon saying “I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.” If we want to grow in wisdom, we must first ask God for wisdom. 

Two years ago, I was struggling through my final semester of grad school. It seemed almost impossible to finish. That’s when my uncle suggested I read James 1. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and It will be given to you.” I put that verse everywhere. My phone, my laptop, my books, my desk, my wall, you name it, James 1:5 was there. It may sound cliché, but I was living and breathing James 1:5. The more I asked for wisdom, the less my struggle became. If we read James 1:6-7, we see it’s not just about asking for wisdom, it’s also about believing that God will grant you wisdom “because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” 

While my example may have been education based, wisdom is not just associated with getting an education. We need wisdom in all aspects of our lives. Dear friends, let us take that first step of growing in wisdom today, by asking our God, “who gives generously to all without finding fault,” for wisdom.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, we thank you for being such a generous and loving God. We ask that you grant us the wisdom which you gave to Solomon. We trust that you will grant wisdom to those who faithfully ask. All this we ask in your Mighty name. Amen.

Thought of the day
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and It will be given to you.” James 1:5 

Riya Varughese
St Andrews MTC, NY

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