Happy New Year! What better way to begin 2023 than asking our Father for wisdom? I've been sick this week and unable to work on my tags. I spent some time in bed trying to talk myself into getting up to work on a tag and I wisely decide to skip in and the rest I need. Hope to be better this week.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. Ask and receive. If ye abide in [Jesus], and [His] words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7
Prayer connect our small, weak lives to the all-powerful God. It builds a path from the fact that he is enough to the fact that we are not enough. James tells his readers to ask God for wisdom, and then tells them how important it is to do so with faith.
To ask in faith is to ask without doubting. James proceeds to liken the doubting person to one who is ‘like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind’ (v. 6). The picture James draws is of a cork bobbing in the waves, carried first towards the shore, then away from it.
Can You Relate?
James adds to this picture by calling such a person ‘double-minded’ (v. 8). This is the man who is struggling with two minds. One mind tells him to trust God, but he no sooner resolves to do so than the other mind begins to point him to all his problems and suggests that they are too great even for God! So back and forth he goes between God and the problems—like the bobbing cork!
A wise person is careful about what they read and about their radio and television selections. Wise people listen to wise counsel (Prov. 13:10) and profit from rebuke (Prov. 9:8–9).
Wise people are careful about who they associate with; they resist group pressures and think for themselves. Wise people connect God’s words and everyday experience, and it is only in the way a person lives his life that wisdom can be demonstrated.
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. 1 Peter 1:14
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 1John 5:3
Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
Obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession. Exodus 19:5
We are his treasure when we treasure His commands! If wisdom is a path, Proverbs 2:1–9 is the map showing how to find the path. ...if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you...
Bible Tag Prompt
Pray for wisdom as you stitch this week. Include a hexagon.
