My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; Proverbs 2:1-2
How do you develop a heart for the Word of God? Proverbs chapter 2 gives us a great deal of counsel concerning how to do this. The second verse speaks of having our ear attentive to wisdom. There is such a thing as being able to listen without listening. We can hear God's Word - but not be able to grasp the wisdom coming from it. This is something we need to do - to work on every time we hear the Word.
Wisdom is seeing the world as God sees it. It is a skillfulness looking at the world like He does and then making decisions based upon that wisdom. Some people only listen to God's Word and hear rules and regulations. They think of God's Word as a compendium of commandments. But God's Word is seeking to reveal to us something far more than just commandments. It is seeking to reveal the heart of God. That is how we need to listen as we read - and as we listen to the Word being proclaimed and taught.
Do you have an ear attentive to wisdom? Do we see God's heart being laid out for us - and when we hear Him - do we learn more and more of His heart and what delights Him?
The second thing being said to us here is that we also need to "incline our heart to understanding." The word incline means to spread out, to bend, or to stretch out. Are you bent toward God's Word? Do you stretch out and bend your life and your attention to it? The way this counsels us to stretch ourselves is in the area of understanding. The Word means insight into the Word. It is one thing to hear the Word, but another to actually understand what we are hearing. Is there an insight when you hear the Word? If not, there needs to be a cry to God for that work by His Spirit.
How we approach the Word of God is vital to our growth in Christ. Unless there is a transaction between us and God when we hear Him, there is going to be a short-circuiting of our relationship with Him. Therefore - when you hear the Word - when you study it and read it - come with a heart that longs to know Him better - to know His heart and what delights Him - and a mind that wants so much more than just the words themselves - but a grasp of what He is saying so that we can walk in His ways and bring joy to His heart.
How do you develop a heart for the Word of God? Proverbs chapter 2 gives us a great deal of counsel concerning how to do this. The second verse speaks of having our ear attentive to wisdom. There is such a thing as being able to listen without listening. We can hear God's Word - but not be able to grasp the wisdom coming from it. This is something we need to do - to work on every time we hear the Word.
Wisdom is seeing the world as God sees it. It is a skillfulness looking at the world like He does and then making decisions based upon that wisdom. Some people only listen to God's Word and hear rules and regulations. They think of God's Word as a compendium of commandments. But God's Word is seeking to reveal to us something far more than just commandments. It is seeking to reveal the heart of God. That is how we need to listen as we read - and as we listen to the Word being proclaimed and taught.
Do you have an ear attentive to wisdom? Do we see God's heart being laid out for us - and when we hear Him - do we learn more and more of His heart and what delights Him?
The second thing being said to us here is that we also need to "incline our heart to understanding." The word incline means to spread out, to bend, or to stretch out. Are you bent toward God's Word? Do you stretch out and bend your life and your attention to it? The way this counsels us to stretch ourselves is in the area of understanding. The Word means insight into the Word. It is one thing to hear the Word, but another to actually understand what we are hearing. Is there an insight when you hear the Word? If not, there needs to be a cry to God for that work by His Spirit.
How we approach the Word of God is vital to our growth in Christ. Unless there is a transaction between us and God when we hear Him, there is going to be a short-circuiting of our relationship with Him. Therefore - when you hear the Word - when you study it and read it - come with a heart that longs to know Him better - to know His heart and what delights Him - and a mind that wants so much more than just the words themselves - but a grasp of what He is saying so that we can walk in His ways and bring joy to His heart.
![915389: Beautiful in God"s Eyes: The Treasures of the Proverbs 31 Woman](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/thumbnail/9/915389t.gif "915389: Beautiful in God"s Eyes: The Treasures of the Proverbs 31 Woman")
RSS Feed