the Fifth Sunday of Lent
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 5 of 5
Proverbs 27:1-13
To boast of tomorrow (v. 1) is to treat it as though it already belonged to us: making firm plans, taking out long-term contracts, standing surety for others (v. 13). Read again what James says on this subject (James 4:13-16). On the other hand v. 1 here is also addressed specially to those who put off the question of their salvation until later. ; 2 Corinthians 6:2 urgently warns them, "Now is the day of salvation".
It is good to be able to count on a friend. His loving advice comes from his heart and rejoices our own (v. 9). But the true friend is not one who will always speak pleasant words to us. On the contrary he will know how to take it upon himself to deliver a reprimand to us, even if our pride will be wounded by it (vv. 5, 6). The Lord Jesus, the faithful Friend, is such a Person. He loves us too much to spare us. Surgeons often have to make large wounds in order to deal with internal organs and to cut out the bad parts. It is the same in a spiritual sense. "Wounding stripes purge away evil, and strokes purge the inner parts of the belly" (Proverbs 20:30; JND trans.). We should accept without complaint these necessary wounds, recognizing in them the kind and sure hand of our best Friend.
