Proverbs 8:22-23. 22“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. 23Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
Genesis 1:1 says, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Here in Proverbs 8, Lady Wisdom says that she was also there at the beginning of time – the Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work. What does this mean?
It means that God has always been wise. From the beginning God has acted in wisdom. God doesn’t get wisdom like we do, he has always had all the wisdom he is ever going to have. Wisdom was not created; it is eternal like God. Proverbs 8 is claiming that God created everything from his great wisdom. In Genesis 1 this is summed up with the simple word “good.” All creation was good. It was wise. It was doing exactly what it was intended to do. It’s telos. Its purpose. This includes you. You were made in wisdom. Not just WITH wisdom, but IN wisdom.
Since wisdom exists before and outside of creation, it is something that we, the created, must take hold of. How? By faith in Christ, who IS the wisdom of God. Therefore, now, In Christ, we are re-created, not only IN wisdom, but also WITH wisdom. In Christ, we have the Spirit of wisdom.
Ephesians 1:17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
Christian, you are the possessor of the wisdom of God. If we possess Christ, if we possess the Holy Spirit of Wisdom (in Christ we do) then we possess God’s eternal wisdom. The same wisdom that makes all things good. Purposeful. Complete. Full. And if we possess this Wisdom, then surely we must walk in this Wisdom.
Ephesians 5:15-17. 15Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Our life’s calling in Christ is to walk in his wisdom, wisdom that understands the will of the Lord. Like Abraham of old being shown the Promised Land and told by God to walk throughout the land, we too have been shown the promises that are ours in Christ. We too must walk throughout his promises, exploring them, marking their boundaries, harvesting their blessings, letting our roots grown down deep into the promises of his great love for us.
That’s wisdom. That’s faith. That’s goodness. That’s to live is Christ.
You: Where have you been asking God to give you wisdom lately?
You in Christ: God has re-created us both IN and WITH wisdom. How do these two truths work together to make us wise in Christ?
Christ in you: What might the wisdom of Christ, his sacrificial love, look like in a real situation where you have been praying for wisdom?
Pray: Jesus, you are God’s wisdom living in me. The way you created me was wise and the way you are changing me is wise. Thank you for never giving up on me. Amen.
To Live is Christ 