Who are you Wisdom? - taken from Proverbs 1-8, Isaiah 11 and James 1

‘Who are you Wisdom?’ I asked.

Wisdom replied, ‘I was there at the beginning, standing beside Creator God, delighting in all he made. I rejoiced with him over each new day and each new wonder. And I especially delighted over his creation of mankind. I was there when he laid the foundation of the earth, I stood alongside Knowledge and Understanding as he set the heavens in place, as he divided the deep and caused the dew to drop from the clouds. I was there when he saw that it was all good.’

‘That’s astounding.’ I said, feeling that my words were in no way adequate to express the depth of power Wisdom was speaking of. ‘How incredible to have been there at the beginning, it must have been so exciting.’

‘Yes.’ Wisdom replied, ‘I was the craftsman at the Creator’s side when he plotted the

horizon on the face of the deep giving the sea its boundary. As he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, I was there.’

‘So you helped to make everything that I see here?’ I responded. ‘I can’t get my head

around that.’ I confessed.

‘How would the created comprehend the Creator,’ mused Wisdom.

‘What happened next?’ I asked Wisdom, ‘What did you do?’

Wisdom replied, ‘I am to teach and instruct mankind, you. I give advice, see that you walk on straight paths, that your steps are unhampered and that you do not stumble. I am to keep you on the paths of the righteous, ensuring that you are upright and blameless.’

As I listened to Wisdom, my heart began to flood with the truth that I am not alone, that my God has provided help for this journey of life, from the beginning he had decided that Wisdom would be there along the way.

Wisdom continued, ‘I am to save you, his people, from the wicked and the adulteress, from perversity and dark and devious ways. To save you from wrong, evil and crooked paths. To save you from death.

I felt a strength growing within me as I listened to Wisdom speak. There is a Saviour!!

‘When you find me,’ said Wisdom, ‘You find life. Your days will be many, years will be added to your life. I will enter your heart and lead you into the favour of the LORD, into blessings, reward and prosperity, wealth, riches and honour. I am to bring health to your bodies, nourishment to your bones and bring you to the tree of life.

I am to protect you, watch over you, exalt and honour you and make sure that you are

crowned with grace and splendour.’ Wisdom paused.

My eyes were wide in wonder. I felt an awe and humbling at the truth that my God and Creator had provided a helper whose role it is to bring me into such a place of blessing. I felt a tear of gratitude roll down my cheek as I allowed my mindset to shift into the realisation that I am so cared for.

Wisdom continued, ‘I am to bring you counsel, sound judgement, understanding,

knowledge and power, I speak only what is true, just and faultless. I am supposed to be behind all just laws, reigning kings and governing nobles.’

Wisdom stopped speaking and turned away.

‘What is wrong? I asked.

‘You don’t listen.’ Wisdom spoke with sadness, ‘Despite all the promises I bring, all the life, blessings and pleasant ways, you refuse to listen. You would rather trust in your own understanding and follow your own, simple ways. You delight in mockery and hate knowledge. You reject me, ignore my advice and do not take my outstretched hand of guidance, and then you don’t even listen to my rebuke. You are wayward and complacent and choose to not fear the LORD your God.’

I was stunned.

Wisdom hadn’t finished, ‘I keep calling, I stand in the streets, I raise my voice in the public places, I deliver speeches, I take my stand at the crossroads. But your ears are not listening.’

Wisdom breathed a deep sigh and continued, ‘There will come a time when disaster will face those who do not listen. Then you will call out to me but I will not answer, you will look for me but I will not be found. You can only reject and mock me for so long, hating knowledge and turning away from me.’

‘What do I need to do?’ I managed to respond despite my pounding heart and shaking body at the prospect of not finding Wisdom by my side.

‘You must turn your ears towards me.’ Was the reply, ‘you must apply your heart to

understanding, call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding. You must look and search as for hidden treasure. Then, you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

You must listen to me and not follow your own ways. You must hear my rebuke if you have turned from the straight and righteous paths. You must hear what I am speaking to guide you and bring you to life. You must choose to fear the LORD your God because that is the beginning of finding me.’

‘I choose to fear the LORD my God,’ I cried out determinedly, ‘I will listen to your rebuke, Wisdom. I will listen to you, turning my ears towards you and hold you as precious, I will esteem you, embrace you and love you. I will ask God for you, without doubting. I will take hold of your out-stretched hand,’

Wisdom nodded, wisely, ‘I see your heart. I can now pour out my heart to you, I can make my thoughts known to you.’

A sense of ease and safety surrounded me and permeated into me. My body stopped

shaking as I accepted Wisdom's words, which I realised were coming from the mouth of God himself.

Wisdom bent down to whisper in my ear, ‘You know that the same of me, of knowledge and of understanding that Creator God used to lay the foundations of the earth is available to you.’

And with that I was left speechless. I sat alone for a long time and contemplated all that had been said to me.