By Pastor Jeff

8: 1-6 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.

Today as we look at Proverbs chapter 8, I like to think of it as  – “Walking with the Wisdom of God.” Just like the word says I have to believe that Wisdom is calling out to us on a daily basis through the voice of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes wisdom is given to us through pastors, teachers, friends and even family by the leading of the Holy Spirit. This often comes from messages we hear on Sundays from behind the pulpit; sometimes it’s through our Sunday School teachers as they speak to our heart and, yes, it can even come through our friends and family members as they are being led by the Holy Spirit.

To take it a step further, I guess one could say that God speaks His wisdom to us through the use of technology such as web pages, podcasts, DVDs, CDs, email, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Yes, I believe God wants to impart wisdom into our lives on a daily basis as we make decisions that can impact not only our lives but also the lives of others around us. The question is are we listening?

Our lives have become so hectic today.  From all of the things that are demanding our attention, like baseball, football, soccer, band, and volleyball practices or unanswered emails, cell phone calls, returning text messages, cooking dinner for the family, and many other things that I don’t have time to mention. The truth is we have become so busy that we sometimes don’t have time – I guess it would be better to say, we don’t MAKE time – for God!

I have to be honest with you, I sometimes find myself in this very dilemma. I preach and teach at least once a week, and if I am not careful I am at times guilty of being busy.  Let’s be honest with ourselves we are always busy. Everyone seems to think that they are always busier than others, but we must take the time to slow down long enough to hear the voice of God as He tries to speak wisdom into our lives.  I hear His voice as I am preparing messages to share with others and the messages always seem to speak to me, before they speak through me, but that isn’t enough.

So I know by now some of you are asking what does this mean for me today? It simply means that we (and I am careful to say we because I am speaking to myself as well when I am saying this) have to slow down long enough to hear from God.  I know we are busy, we are all busy, but being busy is no excuse.

I remember long ago a wise man once told me Jeff “If you wait until you are not busy to hear from God then trust me, son, you are going to be waiting a long time. Get up earlier in the morning, skip a lunch here and there, schedule in some time on your calendar everyday for “HIM,” do whatever it takes to slow down long enough so you can allow God to speak Wisdom into you daily.” Papa Johnson