Daily Readings and Thought for March 23rd. “YOUR CALAMITY COMES LIKE A WHIRLWIND”
Today we start reading the Proverbs; what a rich source of ‘thought provokers’ they contain! The disadvantage of reading a whole chapter at once is that each usually contains such a rich variety of points for wise thinking and meditation that to seriously try to comprehend an entire chapter at one time can give you a sort of ‘mental indigestion’!
Our minds focussed on the latter part of the first chapter from v.23. “If you turn at my reproof, behold I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.” Solomon is personifying wisdom and in the New Testament we see Jesus as the embodiment of Divine wisdom. James writes of “the wisdom from above” [3 v.17].
So it is essential we embrace wise thinking and therefore wise living. This leads to spiritual blessings, it may also lead to material blessings, but these can lead to distractions as see in the progress and end of Solomon’s life.
Our chapter then goes on to spell out the contrast! “Because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you … like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind when distress and anguish come upon you.” [v.25-27]
These words could be so true in the experience of the present world and the time will come when the wise will look back on those overwhelmed by calamity and say, “because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel … “ [v.29,30] As a result, “they shall eat the fruit of their way” [v.31] which is like saying they proved themselves to be useless trees because they produced useless fruit.
It is impossible to stay in a neutral position, to be neither for or against God’s ways! Put your car in neutral and it goes nowhere! The last 2 verses tell us, “the complacency of fools destroys them, but whoever listens to me will dwell secure …” We must not be complacent, just drifting along with no destination in our sights. Our salvation depends upon it.
