Theology and Practical Application, part 2 – God’s Life in our Minds – Proverbs 3:22

So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck.  Proverbs 3:22

Solomon has told us that there are two things we must not let out of our sight.  The previous verse tells us that these things are a lofty thinking about God given to us by His Word and His Spirit, as well as a way to take God's wisdom and flesh it our in wonderfully practical ways of living each and every moment we are alive.  Now Solomon then tells us that such a way of thinking and choosing will lead to life in our souls and adornment to our neck.  The two pictures given to us here are beautiful to see. 

The first speaks of God's life being poured into our very souls.  Since the soul refers to the mind, will, and emotions, we see a beautiful work going on in the immaterial part of our being due to this wisdom and practical thinking.  This wonderful work of God is that our mind is being educated by both sound theology and practical out workings of Who God is in our daily decisions.  Thus our thinking is guided not by the world system, but by the Holy Spirit as He teaches us God's Word and ways. 

How does this work?  It works as we choose the discipline of reading God's Word daily.  As we read, we submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit Who then teaches us what is in the Word.  As verse 21 has said, we are being instructed by the Holy Spirit in two ways.  First we are being taught the deep, wonderful theological truths of Who God is.  We are being founded upon sound wisdom from God.  That begins with knowing Who He is and how He, as the penultimate, is sovereign over all things in our lives.  We learn what Moses requested while on the journey of the Exodus with Israel.  He asked, "Let me know Your ways that I may know You." (Exodus 33:13)  This request gives us so much insight into how God gives us life in our souls - here speaking of the how He does this in our minds.  As we read God's Word - the Holy Spirit helps us to know the ways of God - what He likes, what He dislikes, what He wants, what He commands - and a hundred different things like this.  As we know His ways we will find ourselves also beginning to know Him too.  As this knowledge about God becomes a knowing of God - our minds will be filled with the right information about this world and how to live in it.  The knowledge we receive will not be given to us by the fallen society that has rejected God, but by the God who created it and wants it used for His glory. 

Is your mind being blessed and filled with the Word of God?  Is God showing you daily the way to walk - and through that knowledge also steering you into His will?  Are you seeing your mind being changed as you learn of His ways - and ultimately learning Who He is and What He deisres?  This is the way of life - and it is how wisdom enters into our thinking so as to bless our entire lives.  Turn to Him today - turn to His Word and learn from it - learn from Him.  This is the way of blessing - and the way that will lead you to life in your minds.