Proverbs 8 – if you haven’t read my thoughts on the book of Proverbs yet, you’ll want to do so here. This isn’t a comprehensive look at each verse, but it is how God spoke to me through particular chapter of His Word at this particular chapter in my life. I hope it can speak to you as well, and I hope you are encouraged to seek Him in His Word. And if you missed Proverbs 7, you should also check that out here.  Otherwise, on to Proverbs 8!

8:1-4 – Wisdom is calling out to all of us. She wants us to learn from her. She is pursuing us to give us wisdom, pleading with us to listen to her. Through Wisdom, God is pursuing us.

8:6-11 – (CJB) Listen! I will say worthwhile things; when I speak, my words are right. My mouth says what is true, because my lips detest evil. All the words from my mouth are righteous; nothing false or crooked is in them. They are all clear to those who understand and straightforward to those who gain knowledge. Receive my instruction, rather than the finest gold. For wisdom is better than pearls; nothing you want can compare with her. God’s thoughts toward us are holy and righteous. God is for us, and not against us. All His thoughts and intent toward us are pure, with no thoughts of malice, or deceit, or thoughts for self-gain at our expense. That is holiness. And because of God’s holiness, we can trust Him with the finest details of our lives. We can trust Him with our kids, and our jobs, and our bills, and our deepest and scariest dreams and desires. And when we trust Him, we can find refuge in Him. In fact, the word in Hebrew that we translate to trust or refuge interchangeably, is only one word in Hebrew, which means both trust and refuge simultaneously. Refuge is different than escape. Refuge means that everything can be falling apart around us, but because we trust in God, we are protected from the storms. Escape is temporary. We never know when it could come back or find us and haunt us.

8:12 – (CSB) I, wisdom, share a home with shrewdness and have knowledge and discretion. When we start with seeking wisdom, all these other things will follow naturally. When we gain wisdom, we automatically begin gaining shrewdness, and caution, and knowledge, and discretion, and good judgement, and discernment. Sign me up! I need all of those things in copious amounts.

8:13 – (CSB) To fear the Lord is to hate evil. To truly love someone, means there is also room in your heart to hate anything that threatens to harm them. God loves us fiercely, which means He also can hate that which would harm us. I think it is important to remember that God’s love is not a gooey sappy sticky love that just gets on everything. It is a fearsome love, that will stand up and defend us.

8:15-16 – (NLT) Because of me, [wisdom], kings reign, and rulers make just decrees. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgements. God calls us kings and priests (Revelation 1:6), so this verse is absolutely for us as well as leaders in God’s kingdom. Wisdom’s promise is that she will help us reign and lead. She will help us make just decrees and right decisions and know what step to take next. Prayer – God, I thank you for helping me make just decisions and to lead well. Help me to listen and hear what you are saying when you are directing me in the right way to lead.

8:22-31 – You should definitely read this entire section, as it is some of the most beautiful and poetic imagery or God creating the world, and wisdom’s role in creation. But I love that wisdom existed before the dawning of time or creation, and God welcomes us into that past and brings the past to our present and future. God has made us a part of that something that is so very ancient. The Bible is not just a collection of stories that happened in the past. It is our story. God is writing us into the Bible here because He wants us to have wisdom and be a part of what she is creating and developing in the earth. Like Wisdom states in verses 30-31 (CJB), I was with Him as someone He could trust. For me, every day was pure delight, as I played in His presence all the time, playing everywhere on His earth, and delighting to be with humankind. God’s wisdom loves us and delights in us and wants to be a part of our lives to grow and develop and lavish us with gifts and understanding, and that makes me feel very special and loved indeed.

Prayer – God, I thank You for the gift of wisdom. Help me not miss what You are doing in my life. Keep me in tune with wisdom and remind me to keep seeking wisdom out. Thank You for making me a part of something so ancient, and for writing me into Your story.

Friend, I pray these same prayers over you today. May you have a renewed love for God’s Word today so you can start seeking and finding wisdom and understanding more and more in your life.

Until tomorrow,

– Just a girl pursuing her reflection in the mirror of God’s Word, and praying you will do the same

Scripture quotations marked (CJB) are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible, Copyright © 1998 and 2016 by David H. Stern. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (CSB) are taken from the Christian Standard Bible® Copyright© 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.