Abundance

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

ABUNDANCE

Prov 23:29-35

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. 31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! 32 In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. 34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. 35 "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?"

NIV

If this is not a fine description of an alcoholic nothing is. The age old saying of having a hair of the dog that bit you is said a whole lot more elegantly here with the idea of being hit, but saying I’m not hurt, being beat but saying I don’t feel it and when I wake up I need a drink. In addition when we are in the presence of such a drunkard, we can hear the senseless babble about nothing. The bloodshot eyes, the needless bruises from falling, stumbling over one’s own feet, because of loss of equilibrium due to excess drinking to the point of inebriation. This is being so drunk that when lying upon the bed at the end of such a day or evening of debauchery the room is spinning. With this type of remarks about wine it is no wonder many believers believe any amount of wine will bring about these effects and thus have never, nor will ever take even a sip. God has not outlawed wine, as Jesus even turned water into the finest of all the wines served at the wedding in Cana. We could even say God created wine. However to be so senselessly intoxicated with it, such as Lot was so that he was not even aware his daughters were using him, is not pleasing to God. Yes, many wines taste good, as to many foods. Both in excess are not pleasing to God as he refers to the drunkard and glutton many times within the same teaching. Yet we are not to be like this type of person. Although we find no precise command to not taste wine, we know it is not pleasing to God to be this alcoholic character described for us within this proverb. Perhaps some believers need to totally abstain. Maybe they know themselves enough to know one taste would lead them down this path. That certainly is the case with a confirmed alcoholic. They cannot have just one glass, nor two. They must have one after another until all senses have left them and their minds are mush, imagining confusing things. It is not up to us to judge each other, whether we sip a glass or two of wine or are teetotalers. Each person must live in accordance with their measure of faith, given to them by God. But the warning is still very clear. Keep ourselves from allowing drink to control our mind and body for both we should use to serve the Lord. Again it comes down to not being about to serving two masters, here it is God and drink. Will we wake up in the morning and say I need another drink, or I need another moment with God? We are admonished not to be drunk on wine, but to be filled with the Spirit.

Eph 5:15-19

15 Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

NIV

Some might suggest this means to be drunk with the Spirit, but that would imply our minds would be senseless and the Spirit would control our behaviors, as excessive drink does. But that is not the case, we are to be filled with the Spirit, giving him access to our spirit. Then he can teach us, lead us into all truth with all the faculties of our mind. So then we need to decide, an abundance of wine or an abundance of the Spirit. We choose the Spirit.