Seeking Wisdom

[Ramez5]

My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments with you;
So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;

Yes, if you cry after knowledge, and lift up your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures;

Then shall you understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom: out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:1-8


Did you know that God has commanded us to seek wisdom from Him yet He purposefully makes it hard to get.. and even hard to find? He wants 'our all' and doesn't give away His secret treasures of Wisdom to just anyone, or even to the casual reader.

I sure didn't know that. There's something about a treasure hunt that appeals to me very much. Doesn't it intrigue you too?

Some of the questions that immediately popped in my head as I was reading these verses were..

What is wisdom?
Why do I want it?
How do I get it?

I learned some amazing things about wisdom today from studying related verses.. and just can't stop thinking about it.

I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.Isaiah 45:3

For one thing.. did you know God purposely HIDES his wisdom and makes it hard to find? Job 17:4

Also that he 'stores it up' and it's just sort of 'on-stand-by' for those who come hunting it. Prov. 2:7 How did I manage to miss this?

Wow.. to think the Lord wants us to be that dependent..
and that focused on Him and His commands,
That He purposely makes his wisdom hard to get
and then tells us to search, beg, and do whatever it takes to get it.

Why do we need Wisdom?
One of the oddest quirks of my personality.. is a tendency to lack 'common sense'. My mother often complained that for someone as 'smart' as I was, it was astonishing how little sense I had. Not only that, but I'm pretty good at putting my foot in my mouth. Sigh..

So this passage is especially meaningful to me. Of all the 'side-benefits' of seeking the Lord this year that I have experienced.. discretion has probably been the most meaningful one. He slows me down and holds me back somehow.. giving me a chance to 'think through' what I'm about to say or do.

Though this passage is not primarily about discretion, it IS part of what you gain with wisdom and understanding.
The Lord is the source of wisdom; knowledge and understanding come from his mouth... If you listen to him, you will understand what is just and fair and how to do what is right. You will gain wisdom, and knowledge will bring you joy.


So what IS wisdom?


And to man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom;
and to depart from evil is understanding. Job 28:23


chokmah: wisdom
Original Word: חָכְמָה
isdom, ethical and religious:
a. of God, as a divine attribute or energy it is with him Job 12:13; not to be found by the most persevering human search Job 28:12,20; he alone knows it Job 28:23; gives it Proverbs 2:6; and shows its secrets Job 11:6.

How do we get it?

My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments with you For the LORD gives wisdom: out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

When I looked up the key word RECEIVE.. I was amazed at what it meant!

laqach: לָקַח verb take (Late Hebrew id., especially buy, and (Niph`al) be taken in marriage; MI17; 20 Imperfect ואקח; Phoenician לקח; Assyrian li‡û, la‡û DlHWB 384; Arabic conceive (of female), IV. impregnate; לָקַח


The idea is that we 'get married' to God's commands, his laws, his words.. binding them on our hearts and wearing them around our necks. And then.. God plants his words in us.. literally impregnating us with his words.. and they give birth to Wisdom.. God's wisdom in our lives.

But first we have to read, memorize and obey God's word. We also have to study, seek, apply our hearts and minds... our whole will and focus on what HE says.. and then do what we can to obey.. and pray for understanding.. pray and beg and even cry out for this understanding and the ability to obey.

Folks, It's time to get obsessed! This is one place where you can safely 'camp' as my spiritual mom, Karen, once told me.


I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth
more than my daily bread.

The heart of wisdom is seeking and then hearing what God wants and doing it.
The result.. is Wisdom.
Dear friends.. this occupation.. and the treasure at the end of the rainbow is not for the uncommitted.

You have to want it.. and you have to work for it. We have a part to do.

God commands us.. but He can give you the desire and will if you ask, seek and knock. Start with your bible. Open it up for just a little bit each day.. every day. Before you know it, you will long for more. You will get hungry.. and then He will fill you. I promise. He promises.

Are you ready to join the 'treasure hunt'?

Dear Lord, However dry we may feel.. however much the words on the page look lifeless and meaningless, you can bring them to life in us. And we know they WILL bear fruit in us. When we move from READING to DOING.. from at least attempting to do.. then You light our path.. and You lead us.. and make us WANT to seek your face and your truth. I am so grateful that You have lit that fire in my heart.. and I pray you will light it in their hearts too. Amen

[Mary Naeem]

Thanks Ramez

[walaa farouk]

Thanks Ramez