Month: July 2021

Proverbs 6:16 There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him….

It’s easy but dangerous for me to feel superiority when reading Proverbs 6:16-19. After all, I’m not haughty, I try not to lie, I’m not a murderer, I try to stay away from wicked schemes and stay out of evil, I don’t bear false witness, and I try to stay away from conflict within the community. Check, check, check, check, check, check, check. 

Proverbs 6:17 …haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood….

Except…when I make judgments about others, I’m being haughty. When I engage in rumor and speculation, my tongue is not innocent. When I speak negatively about others, I could murder their reputation or other’s opinions of them. When I engage in the latest political muck—whether on Facebook or via text, I’m rushing to evil and stirring up conflict. It would seem I’m not as innocent and upright as I had hoped.

Proverbs 6:18 …heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil….

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that I am here on this earth to draw closer to You and point others to You. Humans are careless, Lord, thoughtless, mean, selfish, cruel. I am these things, often without stopping to think. Help me, Lord, to focus solely on You, to live solely for You, to uplift and encourage instead of tearing down. Forgive me when I fail, Lord. Help me to forgive myself, brush myself off, and do better. Draw me closer. Amen.

Proverbs 6:19 …false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Have a blessed day.

Proverbs 5:15 Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.

I think as a society we do a disservice to young people especially in the way our culture handles marriage. By and large, there is so much emphasis put on the wedding day and so little put on what it takes to make marriage work. 

Proverbs 5:18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Building a life together is not just about one day where everyone is shiny, attractive, and perfect. Marriage takes commitment and hard work. It means giving your partner the benefit of the doubt when they seem thoughtless, remembering all the little blessings when they pluck your last nerve, investing time and effort into keeping the love alive even when you are comfortable and complacent together. 

Proverbs 5:22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the gift of my husband, whom I love so deeply. Thank You for this marriage, which isn’t always easy but is absolutely worth the time and effort to keep our love alive. We are not perfect, Lord, but Your power is perfected in our weakness. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Proverbs 5:23 For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly.

Have a blessed day.

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Lord, Be in my heart, at its center, always. Life makes no sense without You at my core. Guide me. Guard me. Draw me closer. Help me to shine Your light. Be the source of everything that comes from me.

Proverbs 4:24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Lord, Help me to use my words to build people up, to encourage them, to point them to You. Help me to stem the tide of grumpy, snippy, discouraging words from my mouth. They aren’t helpful, and they don’t point others to You. I don’t want to contribute to the negativity of this world.

Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder to guard my heart, guard my mouth, watch my step, so that I can fully align myself to You. Draw me closer with every breath. Help me to show others Your love through my words and actions. Amen.

Proverbs 4:26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.

Have a blessed day.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding….

“This is not the way it’s supposed to be….” Sadly, this refrain was (and sometimes still is) a large part of my vocabulary. I’m a planner, which is a gift in many situations, but it also causes me a lot of issues when I cling so tightly to my plans that I can’t let go and embrace God’s plans for me with all my heart.

Proverbs 3:6 …in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

It’s all tied up in trust and worry and self-sufficiency, issues I’ve been very open about struggling with. I’m thankful for a Savior who is sovereign and merciful enough for me to say, “I hate this. I would never choose this. I do not want this, but I trust You—that You are with me, that You are loving and good, that You are making a way, even now.” 

Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for this morning’s scripture and the reminders and promises that it contains. Thank You for Your presence, Your compassion, and Your mercy. Draw me closer. Amen.

Proverbs 3:8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Have a blessed day.

Proverbs 2:6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Lord, Help me seek every minute of every day to know You better and understand You more. Help me to seek Your ways, to love as You do, without limits.

Proverbs 2:7 He holds success in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless….

Lord, I mess this walk up every single day. Thank You for loving and covering me in my ineptitude. Thank You for seeing, knowing, and understanding my heart. Help me keep trying to get it right.

Proverbs 2:8 …for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones.

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the desire to draw closer to You, to understand You better. Thank You for who You are and for my relationship with You. Draw me closer. Always. Amen.

Proverbs 2:9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.

Have a blessed day.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Interestingly, though verse 7 seems to use knowledge and wisdom interchangeably, commentary insists that they are different. Knowledge, according to commentary, is a collection of facts and information. Wisdom is “the right use of what we know for daily living.” This description put me in mind of book smarts versus common sense—folks who know things, information from books, versus those who know how to manage daily life well. I definitely see this in my line of work.

Proverbs 1:8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

Verse 8 intrigued me because it is clear that both parents are responsible for teaching the child wisdom and knowledge. So much has changed from the time this was written, but this aspect of family life is the same. 

Proverbs 1:20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square….

Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the ability to read Your word with both my head and my heart, to ponder and make connections, to see the similarities. Thank You for the ability to sit at Your feet each day and draw closer to You. Help me to shine Your light for all to see. Amen.

Proverbs 1:21 …on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech….

Have a blessed day.