Finding Wisdom

by Allan Knapp

Proverbs 8:22–31…
“The LORD possessed me (wisdom) at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
When there were no depths I was brought forth, 
when there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,
before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,
when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
 then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.” 

God’s wisdom is one of the His characteristics identified in the Westminster Shorter catechism #4:

Q: What is God?

A: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

Since all God’s attributes are inseparable, God’s wisdom is always powerful, holy, just, good, and true. God’s wisdom is unchangeable. This means that wisdom has been and will be in effect before, during, and after the existence of this planet we live on. Proverbs 8:30-31 tells us God’s wisdom was his delight in the creation of all things, including the children of man. Pause to consider the thrilling concept that all the features of the creation – rivers, gravity, oxygen, love, music, planets, and everything else – were all created and are imbued with God’s wisdom.

Unfortunately, although God and His wisdom are not changing, the Fall occurred.  Romans 8:19-23 tells us the creation, including mankind, “was subjected to futility,” needs to “be set free from its bondage to corruption,” and “has been groaning.” Our minds have been tainted; we cannot comprehend the wisdom all around us.

Fortunately, God’s wisdom is not completely hidden.  In Proverbs 8:17 Wisdom personified encouragingly tells us that those who seek wisdom diligently will find her. “Wisdom” extolls her positive characteristics throughout the chapter: prudence and sense (verse 5), noble things (6), truth (7), right and righteousness (6,8), knowledge (9), discretion (12), insight (14), strength(!), honor (18), justice (20), blessings (34), life (35).

The purpose of the book of Proverbs, laid out in the first seven verses of Chapter 1, is the purpose of the whole Bible – to align our hearts with what God loves.  Westminster Shorter Catechism #2 puts it this way: “The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man.”  Paul prays for his friends in Ephesus that “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.”

Thus, finding and gaining true wisdom is another reason for studying and meditating on God’s Word and for prayer. May you enjoy both those activities today and hold on to a bit of God’s wisdom in so doing.