Tag: Proverbs 2:1-5

Make Insight Your Priority! Pray for a Curious Mind. Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding. Proverbs 2:1-5

Proverbs 2:1-5 Expanded Bible

Rewards of Wisdom

2 My ·child [or son], ·listen to [grasp] what I say
    and ·remember [L store up] what I command you.
2 ·Listen carefully [L Bend your ear] to wisdom;
    ·set your mind on [L stretch your heart to] understanding.
3 Cry out for wisdom,
    and ·beg [shout out loud] for understanding.
4 ·Search [Seek] for it like silver,
    and ·hunt [search] for it like hidden treasure.
5 Then you will understand ·respect [fear; awe; 1:7] for the Lord,
    and you will find ·that you know God [the knowledge of God].

Word of God for the Children of God

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

A subtle, amusing illustration of a group of church elders, and Rabbi’s tired and weary from a lengthy two day discussion; Joshua before the Walls of Jericho.

Finally, one of them throws his arms into the air and suggests, “I don’t care how the walls of Jericho crumbled down. I move we have it rebuilt stone by stone and just make a resolution to take the funds from the facilities budget.

Most Sunday school students know who “broke the wall of Jericho” and what God said about it (see Joshua 6).

Yet, considering its subtle point, the illustration reminds us that our biblical knowledge is declining today even where church attendance may be booming.

Who is still curious enough to plumb the depths of the Word of God? Storing up God’s commands, turning both of our ears to his wisdom does not, nor will not, come naturally.

It takes a disciplined program of regular prayer, Bible reading and reflection.

Living as disciples of Jesus Christ, we must make an authentic effort to learn, learn from God’s Word—its context, his words and its covenant commands.

Wise living in our technologically complex, internet, AI, social media driven “no God allowed” education systems calls for serious reading of Scripture.

It requires our learning details about the life of Jesus as told in the gospels.

Learning what Jesus said and did will make us appreciate his ultimate sacrifice.

It will encourage us to imitate his life, de­voted to obeying his Father’s will.

A wise and curious heart and a knowledgeable walk are pleasant to the soul and will truly yield eternal blessings.

Can a true disciple in 2026 desire anything less?

Do we?

Human beings are naturally curious, but that God-given sense of curiosity does get cast off along the way to our adulthood when those responsibilities pile up.

As an adult, it may seem like you don’t have enough time to be curious – even though you do wonder about a lot of things. 

But God never meant for you to stop being curious. 

Proverbs 2 describes that someone who cries out for insight and searches for understanding, like a person seeking hidden treasure.

That shows the power of a curious mind at work as it seeks God.

Knowing God better only happens when you want to learn because you’re curious. Curiosity inspires you to ask questions instead of settling for easy answers, so you can keep right on learning more about God. 

A curious mind can strengthen your faith.

God invites you to seek, to search, and to discover.

He isn’t threatened by your questions, offended by your desire to understand.

When you wonder about God and his work in the world, you’re responding to an invitation God has already given you.

God wants you to keep seeking him, keep asking, no matter how long you’ve been in a relationship with him.

He encourages you to seek him, and promises that you’ll find him.

Jeremiah 29:10-14 Expanded Bible

10 This is what the Lord says: “·Babylon will be powerful for seventy years. After that time I will come to [L Only after the seventy years of Babylon are filled will I visit;  25:11] you, and I will ·keep my promise [L confirm my good word] to ·bring  [restore] you back to ·Jerusalem [L this place]. 11 I say this because I know ·what [L the plans] I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have ·good plans for you [L plans for your peace/security], not plans ·to hurt you [L for your harm]. I will give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call ·my name [L me]. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me [Dan. 9:4–19]! 14 I will let you find me,” says the Lord. “And I will ·bring you back from your captivity [restore your fortunes]. I ·forced you to leave [drove you from] this place, but I will gather you from all the nations, from the places I have ·sent you as captives [exiled you],” says the Lord. “And I will ·bring you back [restore you]  to this place.” 

You can never stop being amazed by who God is!

So, keep your mind curious as you go through each day.

Read the Bible with a sense of curiosity, and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you what each passage means for you, and how to apply it to your life.

Pay attention to the world around you and notice the evidence you see of God’s creativity, order, and care.

Every time you find something that points you to the reality of God at work in your life – His love spread by faithful people, or something inspiring in nature such as a sunset or fish swimming, birds singing, butterflies fluttering around your backyard – let that motivate you to stay curious and to keep seeking God.

The more you seek God with an ever more curious mind and a devoted heart, the more you’ll be able to find him. 

Proverbs 2:3-5 also reminds you that seeking wisdom takes time and effort.

The passage tells you to call out for insight, to cry aloud for understanding, and to search for knowledge of God like hidden treasure.

Curiosity is active, not passive.

You have to choose to open your Bible instead of reading something that’s a lot less valuable.

You have to choose to listen to new information rather than assume you already know everything there is to know about something.

You also have to choose to reflect on what God might be teaching you through all of your daily experiences, and to keep asking God’s Spirit your unanswered questions until he answers them, in his timing. 

But all of your effort is worthwhile.

God promises that when you seek to learn more about him like you’re seeking treasure, you will find the knowledge of him.

You’ll find more than just facts about God, but a deeper understanding of who God is.

You’ll start to see God’s character more clearly and notice his faithfulness in new ways. 

A curious mind also keeps your faith alive when you’re dealing with challenges.

When a situation you’re going through doesn’t make sense, curiosity helps you ask better questions.

Instead of just asking why the situation is happening, you can ask what God is revealing about himself through it, and what you can learn through it that will help you grow spiritually. 

Seeking God day by day with a curious mind will always lead you to learn something new about him.

Even while you do, though, you’ll also learn how much there still is to discover.

God’s wisdom is infinite, so you’ll never reach the end of it.

There is always more to learn about God! 

Well, isn’t there?

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying ….

Praying …..

Psalm 19 Expanded Bible

God’s Works and Word
For the director of music. A psalm of David.

19 The heavens ·declare [recount; narrate] the glory [C the manifest presence] of God,
    and the ·skies [firmament; dome; Gen. 1:6] ·announce [speak out] ·what his hands have made [L the works of his hands].
2 Day after day they ·tell the story [L bubble/pour forth speech];
    night after night they ·tell it again [L declare knowledge].
3 They have no speech or words;
    they have no voice to be heard.
4 But their ·message [L line] goes out through all the world;
    their words go ·everywhere on [L to the ends of the] earth.
·The sky [Heaven; L In them] is like a ·home [L tent] for the sun.
5 The sun comes out like a bridegroom from his ·bedroom [L wedding chamber].
    It rejoices like an ·athlete [strong man] eager to run a race.
6 The sun rises at one end of the ·sky [heavens]
    and ·follows its path [L its circuit is] to the other end.
Nothing hides from its heat.

7 The ·teachings [laws; instructions] of the Lord are perfect;
    they ·give new strength [T revive the soul].
The ·rules [testimonies] of the Lord ·can be trusted [are faithful/sure];
    they make ·plain [simpleminded; immature] people wise [Prov. 1:4].
8 The orders of the Lord are ·right [virtuous];
    ·they make people happy [L rejoicing the heart].
The commands of the Lord are pure;
    ·they light up the way [L giving light to the eyes].
9 ·Respect [Fear] for the Lord [Prov. 1:7] is ·good [pure];
    it will ·last [endure] forever.
The judgments of the Lord are true;
    they are ·completely [altogether] ·right [righteous].
10 They are ·worth [desired; coveted] more than gold,
    even ·the purest [fine] gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even the ·finest honey [L droppings of the honeycomb].
11 By them your servant is warned.
    ·Keeping [Observing] them brings great reward.

12 ·People cannot [L Who can…?] ·see [detect; L understand] their own ·mistakes [errors].
    ·Forgive [Clear] me for my ·secret [hidden] sins.
13 ·Keep me [L Restrain your servant] from ·the sins of pride [proud thoughts];
    don’t let them ·rule [dominate] me.
Then I can be pure
    and innocent of the greatest of sins.

14 ·I hope my ·words [L The words of my mouth] and ·thoughts [meditations of my heart] ·please [L be before] you.
Lord, you are my Rock, ·the one who saves me [L and my redeemer].

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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The Bible says…“IF we will devote Ourselves to Prayer AND unto the high Ministry of the Word of God.” Proverbs 2:1-5 

Proverbs 2:1-5 Complete Jewish Bible

2 My son, if you will receive my words
and store my commands inside you,
2 paying attention to wisdom
inclining your mind toward understanding —
3 yes, if you will call for insight
and raise your voice for discernment,
4 if you seek it as you would silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure —
5 then you will understand the fear of Adonai
and find knowledge of God.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

There is a Whole Lot of “If’s” Going on Here …

If you will call out for insight …

If you will cry aloud for understanding …

If you will look for it as for silver …

and if you will search for it as for hidden treasure …

and if then you will understand the fear of the Lord …  

and if then you authentically desire to find the knowledge of God …

“if We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word…”

if We can never discover the depths of Scripture’s insights into life without first accepting it as true and authoritative, why then did God speak it to us?

If we do not, will not, accept the Word of God as true and as authoritative …

And if several hundred years later the Lord God continues to admonish us with these words of Apostle Paul to his protégé’ Timothy …

1 Timothy 4:11-14 The Message

11-14 Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, and teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use.

Ask yourself, pray to the Holy Spirit … Is my soul being strangely ignited? Can my Soul be strangely ignited? Will my soul be ever become strangely ignited?

So, Let the Truth be Told … So, Let God be Revealed

We can never discover the depths of Scripture’s insights into life without first accepting it as true and authoritative.

We must first believe Scripture before we can understand it.

As long as we keep asking, Should this passage be here? Is it genuine? Is it a legend? Is it nothing but a fairy tale? If this is our constant approach, then we can never get around to asking, What does this say to me? What does it mean to me? Where is the wisdom hidden in this that I need so desperately in my life? 

Those students and pseudo-scholars who feel they are a final authority on what ought to be here and what ought not to be here, never seem to be able to get around to understanding what is written. They never seem able to say anything or teach anything about the wondrous depths of the Scriptures, for they exclude themselves from minimal understanding by their attitude of judgment over it.

You cannot understand nuclear physics unless you first believe the underlying axioms that have to do with this realm of human knowledge. You cannot hope to understand chemistry unless you are willing to accept certain of the chemical formulas that have been proposed. You cannot believe anything until you accept it as genuine and put it to the test of experience, and this is true of God’s Word.

I remember Reverend Dr. Billy Graham saying that as a young man there came into his life a time and a season of doubt as to the authority of the Scriptures.

There came questions as to whether the text as we have it could be trusted, whether this was the Word of God or merely the ideas of men about Jesus.

He was troubled by the questions that occur all too frequently in these days.

He went away by himself up into the mountains, taking his Bible with him, and there began to read it, and read it, and read it.

He eventually came at last to the place where he said to God, I have seen enough of the transforming ability of this Word to know that you alone are behind it. I know, Lord, there are too many questions, many areas that I do not understand about this book, and I will take it by faith that it is your Word and believe it and preach it as your Word and trust that you will make clear to me what it means. 

It was from this time that Billy Graham’s worldwide ministry of evangelism began. You well know that his favorite expression is, The Bible says. He does not debate it with anyone; he does not question it; he simply, diligently, declares it.

Devoted Ourselves to Prayer and the Word of God

Acts 6:1-6 The Message

The Word of God Prospered

6 1-4 During this time, as the disciples were increasing in numbers by leaps and bounds, hard feelings developed among the Greek-speaking believers—“Hellenists”—toward the Hebrew-speaking believers because their widows were being discriminated against in the daily food lines. So the Twelve called a meeting of the disciples. They said, “It wouldn’t be right for us to abandon our responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with the care of the poor. So, friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we’ll assign them this task. Meanwhile, we’ll stick to our assigned tasks of prayer and speaking God’s Word.”

5-6 The congregation thought this was a great idea. They went ahead and chose—

Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,

Philip,

Procorus,

Nicanor,

Timon,

Parmenas,

Nicolas, a convert from Antioch.

Then they presented them to the apostles. Praying, the apostles laid on hands and commissioned them for their task.

While the Spirit-filled events of Pentecost and the resulting ministry were extraordinary, the apostles, their followers did not begin saying afterward,  Well, now the Spirit of God teaches me; therefore, I don’t need to listen to anybody else. 

Instead, when filled with the Holy Spirit, they were all ears for the authoritative preaching and teaching of God’s word.

This teaches us an important lesson: the Spirit of God always leads the people of God to devote themselves to the word of God.

This is why the book of Acts is full of the centrality of preaching.

The apostles ultimately recognized that God’s supreme instrument for the renewing His people in the image of His Son was and is through His word and their diligent reading and diligent study of it, as His Spirit works through it.

Here in Acts 6 we see an example of the priority and protection the apostles gave to those called and equipped to teach.

The apostles recognized the sobering importance of being entrusted as devoted servants of God as Ezra, bring before the people the very Words of God Himself.

Nehemiah 8:1-12 New King James Version

Ezra Reads and Explains the Law

8 Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that  was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. 3 Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate [a]from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

4 So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.

Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, who was the [b]governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the  Lord  your God;  do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.

The Old Testament books refer to the “oracles” of the prophets; this word can also be translated as “burden” (see, for instance, Isaiah 13:1-3, NKJV).

13 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain,
exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand,
that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
3 I have commanded my sanctified ones,
I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger,
even them that rejoice in my highness.

It describes a millstone weight upon the heart and mind that comes about because of the awesome responsibility of speaking God’s truth to people.

Back in the nineteenth century Reverend Charles H. Spurgeon acknowledged the magnitude of this burden by declaring his pulpit to be more influential than the very throne of the king of England, for Spurgeon brought a message from the throne of God to that pulpit and delivered the truth of Christian doctrine.

We must pray for and protect those called to teach the truths of Scripture, whether to a congregation, or to little children, or in any other context.

It is no small thing to stand up regularly between a holy God and His people, declaring His word. It is a high heavy burden as well as a wonderful privilege.

In addition to praying for our teachers and preachers, we must also be humble and eager to sit and learn under the authoritative teaching of God’s word.

Such an example of devotion was set by the early church in their dedication to the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42).

Contemporary devotion ought to look the same; we must each be committed to teaching that is based on the New Testament truths revealed to the apostles and built upon the foundations of Old Testament doctrine.

We must not be spending all our time snacking on the fast food of box sets that soak up our time, TV networks that confirm what we already think, and books or video games, vastness of social media that offer escape from the real world.

John 4:31-38 Disciples’ Literal New Testament

Jesus Explains: I Came To Do God’s Will. The Harvest Is Ripe

31 In the meantime the disciples were asking Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat”. 32 But the One said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about”. 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, “Someone did not bring Him something to eat, did he?” 34 Jesus says to them, “My food is that I may do the will of the One having sent Me, and accomplish His work. 35 Do you not say that ‘There are still[a]  four months, and the harvest comes’? Behold, I say to you— lift-up your eyes and look-at the fields, that[b] they are white for harvest[c]. Already 36 the one reaping is receiving wages, and is gathering fruit for life eternal, so that the one sowing and the one reaping may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true, that ‘One is the one sowing and another[d] is the one reaping. 38  I sent you out to be reaping what you have not[e] labored-for. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor”.

Instead, we need ask God to set our meal tables to feast on the word of God.

Like Jesus taught his disciples; Let that be your spiritual food and you will find each day that the Spirit of God leads you deeper into the truths, the joys within.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 119:1-16 Complete Jewish Bible

א (Alef)

119 How happy are those whose way of life is blameless,
who live by the Torah of Adonai!
2 How happy are those who observe his instruction,
who seek him wholeheartedly!
3 They do nothing wrong
but live by his ways.
4 You laid down your precepts
for us to observe with care.
5 May my ways be steady
in observing your laws.
6 Then I will not be put to shame,
since I will have fixed my sight on all your mitzvot.
7 I thank you with a sincere heart
as I learn your righteous rulings.
8 I will observe your laws;
don’t completely abandon me!

ב (Bet)

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
don’t let me stray from your mitzvot.
11 I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I won’t sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, Adonai!
Teach me your laws.
13 I proclaim with my mouth
all the rulings you have spoken.
14 I rejoice in the way of your instruction
more than in any kind of wealth.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and keep my eyes on your ways.
16 I will find my delight in your regulations.
I will not forget your word.

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.

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Prerequisites for Purposeful Living: “Give Ear and Hear My voice, Listen and Hear My Speech.” Proverbs 2:1-5

Proverbs 2:1-5 The Message

Make Insight Your Priority

2 1-5 Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you;
    collect my counsels and guard them with your life.
Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom;
    set your heart on a life of Understanding.
That’s right—if you make Insight your priority,
    and won’t take no for an answer,
Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold,
    like an adventurer on a treasure hunt,
Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours;
    you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

On a brochure I saw in the Narthex of a new church I read these words in red:

“If I am really a Christian … then why isn’t Jesus Christ more real in my life?”

It made for rather interesting reading considering the church was a new plant and had only opened its doors to the community a scant ninety days before.

It was actually quite thought provoking – even more so than I first expected.

If you have ever wondered about that, “why isn’t Jesus more real to me,” you should know that you are not the first and you will not be the last one either.

Even writers of the Bible, especially the psalmists, wrestled with this question.

Even the Book of Proverbs offers its readers many intriguing statements which even today have turned into contemporary Parent to Children admonishments.

1. Many hands make light work

When many people work together to accomplish a difficult task, it doesn’t seem so difficult. That is the general meaning of this proverb. In other words, if many people work together, the work is easier and is usually completed more quickly.

2. Honesty is the best policy

It is best to always be honest and tell the truth, even when telling the truth hurts you. By doing so, humbling self will win the trust and respect of others.

3. Don’t judge a book by its cover

Don’t be too quick to form an opinion or make a judgment about someone or something based on its outward appearance – you could embarrass yourself.

4. Where there’s a will, there’s always a way

If your desire to accomplish something is strong enough, you will find a way to do it.

5. Actions speak louder than words

A person’s true character can be seen by what he does, not by what he says. A person can talk as much as he wants, but he may not actually do anything to back up his words. All the bluster and bravado of leadership loses its luster if the one doing all of the bragging inevitably does nothing, retreats from their words.

6. Always put your best foot forward

The meaning of this proverb is that you should always try your best to make a good first impression on others; reveal and show your best traits and qualities.

7. Do not be wise in thine own eyes

The meaning of this proverb is very clear: the consistent witness of Scripture is that Jehovah God and God alone is the One, only true source of wisdom and life.

If we are faith-filled and faithful in following Him, He will “abundantly” bless us; if not, in our own self righteousness, we risk significant peril and judgment.

One of the most dangerous traps we can fall prey to is justifying ourselves based on our own self reported, ideals, definitions and understandings of judgment.

When we assume that we are more in the right than not and others are more in the wrong than not, including “God is more wrong,” it is a recipe for disaster.

When we automatically assume we are smarter than others, then find out we are not … much to our detriment and personal embarrassment – “eating crow.”

When we try to assume that our understanding of smart is the same as God’s and we come up square against the mirrors of our wildest display of ignorance.

The Book of Proverbs puts our perspective of our lives directly in God’s face, the end result is we invariably learn we are neither smarter nor wiser than anyone.

God desires we understand balancing our life, morals and ethics with His Ways.

We desire and boast of our own abilities, about how we ourselves balance our own lives with our own understanding of own morals and ethics absent God.

There are many reasons, of course, why people might sometimes feel that way.

I will let each reader draw from their own experiences for their own rationales.

Wisdom of Self Reliance versus Wisdom of Reliance on God and God alone?

One place to start in reflecting on this is to recognize that God highly desires and also highly values an ever growing spiritual depth, maturity in his people.

Not necessarily intellectual depth or all kinds of biblical knowledge —though these things are good—but connectional depth in relationship with God, as opposed to the shallowness, superficiality of human to human relationships.

“That we may know HIM more, that we may know OUR selves less.” (John 3:30)

Proverbs 2:1-5 talks about accepting and storing up and turning our ear and soul and applying our heart and calling out for insight and crying aloud for greater and greater understanding of God and looking and searching for God.

It uses action words like these; applying, calling, crying, looking, searching for, to describe what we should be actively engaging in our daily pursuit of wisdom.

Bottom line?

If we want to have it,

If we have to want it,

We have to be willing to engage in a process which involves actual action.

We have to be fully committed to the pursuit, wantonly going after wisdom.

It will take an enormous amount of work, and it will take your whole heart.

Most things, which nowadays, humanity is quite more reluctant to engage in.

But, without that, God, Jesus and Holy Spirit—and wisdom—won’t seem real.

With my eyes being widened from their slumber ….

With a constant sensation of a “tap tap tap” upon my shoulders ….

With someone or something putting their “elbows” into my side ….

With my interest being peaked ….

With my soul being quickened by something or someone ….

It makes me want to dig a little deeper, again.

It makes me want to listen more to what the Holy Spirit is trying to say to me.

“Where is Jehovah God nudging me towards … what future with what hope?”

What if we really listen and hear what God really says in Proverbs?

Proverbs 2:1-5 Amplified Bible

The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security

2 My son, if you will receive my words
And treasure my commandments within you,
2 
So that your ear is attentive to [skillful and godly] wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding [seeking it conscientiously and striving for it eagerly];
3 
Yes, if you cry out for insight,
And lift up your voice for understanding;
4 
If you seek skillful and godly wisdom as you would silver
And search for her as you would hidden treasures;
5 
Then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome]
And discover the knowledge of God.

Have you ever thought about the difference between hearing and listening?

Did you know there was a real difference?

To “listen” means that we are paying attention to the sound, thoughtful and considerate attention to the sound.

To “hear” refers to perceiving something with our ears, kind of like seeing with our ears.

In the long and winding concourse of living and loving life today there are quite literally hundreds of diverse noises a day which are competing for our attention.

There are so many different noises and sounds that most of us do not pay very much attention to most of them – we shut them out as “background noises.”

The television can be on, the phone ringing, video games blasting, radios in our ears and everyone in my house talking at once and I can still tune most of it out.

It is not I am not hearing all the cacophony of noise, but I am not listening to it.

But all of that discipline of “tuning out,” and “not listening” carries a big risk.

What else am I “tuning out,” or “not hearing” or “listening to?”

Psalm 19:1-3 Amplified Bible

The Works and the Word of God.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

19 The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands.
2 
Day after day pours forth speech,
And night after night reveals knowledge.
3 
There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars];
Their voice is not heard.

My Mom used to tell me when everything seemed to be going backwards;

“Look unto the sun by day and the stars by night and know it will be alright!”

God gave us eyes to see the sunshine, beauty and grandeur of nature around us.

God gave us a curiosity that when we see the stars at night – we have to know just how many of them we can count – so we lie back on the ground and count.

God also gave each and everyone of us two ears to hear the beauty of sound and one mouth, He gave us the ability to listen so that the sound can be understood.

When both hearing and listening and minimal speaking working together in unison, we have a quiet, quieted, understanding of the purpose of the sound.

You can hear music and feel music but not actually listen to the words.

When both music and lyrics are understood, the beauty and meaning of the whole song is revealed to you.

You can hear the words of a person speaking to you, but if you truly listen to the person, you will better understand their heart, the meaning behind their words.

The same principle holds true with God’s Word.

We can hear the Word preached, taught and read.

We can read the Word ourselves and hear our own voices speak it.

But, when we really listen to God’s Word, then our understanding begins to change.

So many times, people leave church after having heard a sermon and not ever remember anything about it.

When we look up to the heavens, we may only hear the sound of the winds rushing through the trees, crickets or the frogs in the pond, birds in the air.

We cannot see the winds nor the crickets nor the frogs nor the birds in the air.

We know they are there because we can hear the sounds of the winds through the leaves, from rubbing of the crickets legs, frogs croaking and birds singing

When we are listening and giving consideration to what we are hearing, we will leave thinking about what we just heard.

The next step is to start talking back to God, asking Him to open up more of our hearts and souls to understanding what is being communicated from all sides.

Take time today, think about how much you hear versus how much you listen.

How much are you missing of what God has for you?

Is He talking to you but you are not paying attention?

Take your Bible, dust off its cover and read today’s text from Proverbs 2:1-5.

Instead of just reading the words and hearing them in our heads, pray the Holy Spirit will give us the power to listen, to understand the message God has for us.

When the Word of God truly becomes His voice in our life, then our hearing and our listening will open up our souls unto a new world of understanding for us.

Our lives are guaranteed to change.

But it all begins with God’s wisdom which comes from understanding the difference between hearing and listening—so, start listening to God today.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Jehovah God, Lord of wisdom, Author of my life, there are so any truths to sort out, so many ways of understanding what my eyes behold and what my ears hear, I cannot listen to it all for it is just too overwhelming. Being overwhelmed, I am sometimes finding understanding the wisdom of Bible to be difficult. I know you want me to apply your word to my life. I thank you for giving me your word so I can grow in my relationship with you. Help me to grasp what you want me to know as I read your revealed word. Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. Be my teacher, so I can live and obey your word. Thank you for your wise advice. Amen.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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