Receiver

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
RECEIVER

Prov 1:22-27

22 "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. 24 But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 25 since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you — 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
NIV
How in the world could I not accept his outstretched hand? This is a horrible end to those who are described here. I terrible was to have to live without the hand of God on them. I could not bear the thought it is. I cannot think of anything more wonderful, more fulfilling, than to have God pour out his heart to me and to make his thoughts known to me. Although I so consider myself simple in some respects, when it comes to God I am not foolish as this original word used here implies. My ways are not foolish because I believe God and believe his word is the very fundamental truth. I may be foolish in the ways of the world, which I will admit. But I am not in the ways of God. I do wonder if there are believers who fit into this description of rejecting him when he calls. Oh, not actually rejecting God, but his calling on their life, his desire for them to fulfill their part in the body of Christ. I wonder if that why it seems some believers experience so much disaster, so many calamities and have distress and trouble in their lives. Could this be speaking to those in the household of faith? I surely do not want anything to do with those kinds of situations in my life. I would much rather be experiencing the fellowship with God, and being in contact with his outstretched hand, allowing him to guide me through life, which includes an occasional rebuke when I get a little stubborn and start wanting my own way. Considering he is wisdom, I desire his advice, his counsel and his hand. I do not understand how anyone could reject that. Do people really think they have a greater wisdom than God, or a greater knowledge of anything than God? All the education of the world pales in comparison to God. The world can call me foolish if they wish, but I certainly do not want God calling me that. I want him to call me son, I want to be known as his child, his servant, his very own. Although I know something about God, I want to know more about him. I think I could spend all my days learning more and never learn everything about him. Yet at the same time, if he makes his thoughts known to me, than I know his thoughts, because it does not depend on how much or how long I learn but on how I listen. He pours out his heart, he makes known his thoughts, all I need do is be a receiver.