Daily Devotionals

'Every Day Light' with Selwyn Hughes

Devotional: February 9th

For Reading and Meditation:
     Romans 16:17-27

The subject of God's knowledge must be linked to His wisdom, and it is this aspect of the divine nature that we consider now. What does the Bible mean when it describes God as wise? It means the ability to use knowledge to the best possible ends. This ability is found in its fullness only in God. God is never other than wise in everything He does. Knowledge without wisdom would be pathetic; a broken reed. Wisdom without knowledge would be inoperative and quite frightening. God's boundless knowledge and wisdom are perfect in every way, and it is this that makes Him utterly worthy of our trust. One of the great difficulties we have in the Christian life is trusting the divine wisdom. We can recognize wisdom only when we see the end to which it is moving. God often calls us to trust Him when we can't see the end that He is pursuing, and then in such times we have to ask ourselves: How much do I trust Him? Before I began speaking to a Christian youth group once, I asked if someone could offer a definition of God's wisdom. One young man said: "God's wisdom is the ability to get us through scrapes and difficulties without getting hurt." I gave the young man full marks for attempting a definition, but I had to show him that was not what divine wisdom is all about. God's wisdom is not and never was pledged to getting us through life without being hurt. The goal behind divine wisdom is not to make us happy but to make us holy. And sometimes pursuing that goal may involve us in considerable pain.

Father, here I am again - at the road less travelled. Help me tread the road ahead knowing whatever pain You allow me to feel is for my good. I do not welcome it, but I do not run from it either, as long as You stay with me. Amen