IF THEN
Proverbs 2:1-5 NKJV
1 My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
There are promises from God in the Scripture. And many of these promises come with conditions. The passage we are looking at today is one of those conditional promises. Verse five gives us the promise of understanding the fear of the Lord and finding the knowledge of God. The conditions are spelled out in verses one through four.
Condition number one. Receiving God's words and treasuring His commands within us. Interesting choice of words. We can readily understand receiving God's words. That involves a heart that is receptive and looking for ways to incorporate His words into our lives. Treasuring His words within us indicates we are making His words personal to us. We are thinking about them and mulling them over in our minds. We are assigning value to God's Word.
Condition number two. Incline our ears and apply our hearts. This condition implies a propensity to hear God's Word. Looking to hear and looking to apply our heart to what God's Word is saying to us personally. Some people have no interest in hearing what God's Word has to say. Some hear and forget. But this is intentionally listening and intentionally looking for ways to apply what God is saying.
Condition number three involves hunger. Verses three and four describe a person who has a real desire to know and understand God and His words. Crying out and lifting up your voice indicates a strong desire. Seeking for understanding as silver and hidden treasure is much more than a casual interest. Desire is a motivator. Strong desire is a strong motivator. Jesus would later say, "Seek, and you shall find." Finding is dependent on seeking, and seeking is dependent on desire.
APPLICATION
Most of us can recall a time when we had a strong desire for something valuable. Maybe it was a relationship or a particular career path. It could have been an education or even a material object such as a home or first car. Whatever we considered valuable, we went after. We were not casual, we were intentional. Ever lost a ring or a wallet? You wound up rummaging through things that you normally avoided, like the trash can. But because of the value you pushed past the obstacles.
A desire for more of God and His involvement in our life is a desire we must constantly maintain. Maybe you started your walk with the Lord with a strong desire for Him, and life happened, and your desire waned. But you can stir up that desire again. Talk about your desire for more of God and your appreciation for His word. Value the things of His kingdom and stir yourself up about serving Him. As you do, you'll understand the fear and reverence of a mighty God and grow in your knowledge of Him.
PRAYER
Lord, I love You and Your word and Your kingdom. I desire to know You more and have You more involved in my life. Thank you, that if I seek You, I will find You.