Wisdom From the ProverbsSample

Proverbs 30

'Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down?

Who holds the wind in his fists?

Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak?

Who has created the whole wide world?

What is his name—and his son's name?

Tell me if you know!'

(Proverbs 30:4 NLT)

I love the words in Proverbs 30, verse 4.

They remind me of the mighty hand of God and His power, and somehow, it makes me feel safe.

The Lord God alone goes up to heaven and back down again. He holds the wind in His fists! He wraps the strong oceans in His cloak! This imagery lets us know the grandeur of our God and the power that He holds.

I believe it is wise to adopt a posture of humility before God. Knowing that God is God and that we are His creation humbles us before Him and lifts Him up as our Creator.

There are some verses in Job that are reminiscent of the opening verses to today's devotional. They can be found in Job 38:28-33 and go like this:

'Does the rain have a father?

Who gives birth to the dew?

Who is the mother of the ice?

Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens?

For the water turns to ice as hard as rock, and the surface of the water freezes.

Can you direct the movement of the stars –binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion?

Can you direct the constellations through the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens?

Do you know the laws of the universe?

Can you use them to regulate the earth?'

Job is passionately put in his place in these verses as we all know that God and God alone is the only One who has the right to say, 'Yes, I can do these things!'

When we zoom out and take a look at the mighty power of God and the way that He governs the earth, we can rest in His arms, knowing that He has all things under control.

Is there not comfort in that thought? We, as human beings, do not need to hold the world together or concern ourselves with worries about the movements of the stars – we simply get to enjoy them.

The next time you are led to worry or fret about something in your life, remember these verses.

Whilst we don't need to diminish our worldly woes, we can look up and rest assured that God has all things in His hands and that when we submit to Him, He truly does direct and guide our steps (see Proverbs 3:5-6).

I hope you take comfort from these thoughts today, friends, and allow yourself the space to rest humbly in His presence.