INCLINE
THINE EAR AND APPLY THINE HEART
Proverbs
2: 1: My son, if thou wilt
receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2: So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply
thine heart to understanding; 3:
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for
understanding; 4: If thou horough
her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5: Then shalt thou understand the fear
of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6: For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh
knowledge and understanding.
As
I behold our children growing older time becomes more precious to me. I am reminded that I have a short time to
teach you the gospel of Christ! The
world is waiting to swallow you up. The
young think they have plenty of time to prepare for eternity. But no one has
guarantee of tomorrow. In the time it takes to take our last breathe those
without Christ can come into judgment, with no righteousness in which to stand,
before God who is angry with the wicked every day. (Ps 7: 11) God says that if
you incline your ear to hear the gospel of Christ preached from his word and apply
your heart in studying and seeking Christ like you would seek treasure, God
promises to give you an understanding of the fear of the LORD and knowledge of
God.
Read
Provers 1: 1-4. Christ declares that through
the preaching of his word, God makes us know Wisdom. (1 Cor 1: 24, 30) Christ
is that Wisdom who gives “instruction”
(correction), turning us from the vain ways of our imagination to Christ the
Way and the Truth. Through the
preaching and study of God’s word the Holy Spirit makes us “perceive the words of understanding,” (1 Cor 2: 6-10), revealing the mystery of the gospel to us that even the
princes of this world do not know.
With
Christ as our Wisdom we receive the very best understanding: “the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity.” The message of God’s word is God’s “wisdom” in establishing “the justice (righteousness) of God.” (Rom 3: 19-31) Christ alone is
that Righteousness who fulfilled God’s law for his people. He established “judgment” (justice) so that by the
finished work of Christ, God is just and equitable
(right) to shower the believer in mercy.
Through the preaching and study of the word Christ is able “to give subtilty to the simple, to the young
man knowledge and discretion.” He
makes the new believer know what is true and false for every situation in life. He
gives the young believer the highest wisdom, knowledge and instruction that can
be given. The apostle Paul was probably
paraphrasing our text when he told young Timothy, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are
able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, horoughly furnished unto all
good works.” (2 Tim 3: 15-17)
To
every young person who reads this I ask, “Will you hear this word and do it?” Let nothing stop you from coming to hear the
word of God preached. Then go home and make time to study what you heard in the
scriptures. God makes good on all his promises.
You will have found the greatest of all treasures if you are one who God
makes to “understand the fear of the
LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”