Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1 (intro to my blog too)

This may very well be either the first of many blog post to come or it could be the only one. I guess it will depend on how lazy I get.

By the random chance somebody happens to read this and doesn't know who I am; my name is Michael and I live in Nashville, TN. I've always wanted to keep a diary but I just can never do it so my brother suggested I give this a try.

I guess you could say then this is somewhat of an attempt to get my thoughts written down about particular scripture I've read for the day and what stood out to me. Hopefully it will be somewhat beneficial to me as sort of a personal growth exercise. Of course I'm already seeing my brother laughing when he tries to access this page a couple of days from now and all he gets is a "blog has been closed" page.

Last month I spent a lot of time in Proverbs (reading one for each day of the month) and jotting down things that seemed to stand out. Really quick, I will say how much I've come to enjoy proverbs in a way that I don't think I always saw; that is how they ultimately relate to Jesus. I remember hearing Scotty Smith (of Christ Community Church) once say how you should never read the old testament without trying to see Christ. I think that's very important because otherwise I think you will drastically miss the point. I think Jesus Himself points that out when in the book of Luke it records a moment when He appears to the men on the road to Emmaus. It says that "beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself". (luke 24:27)

So this past month I tried to see how each Proverb had in one way or another a sort of parallel to the Gospel. I don't mean to suggest we should not worry about how the wisdom and instruction to this book DOES relate to OUR personal walk in life by any means. But I do wonder if God's ultimate purpose for the book of Proverbs is to eventually point us away from what are actually our inabilities and failures in Wisdom, and focus us on resting in the One who was perfectly "wise" on our behalf.

So with that said.....here's one small thought from Proverbs 1:23. (by the way I'm using the ESV)

"..if you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;"
-Proverbs 1:23

I guess what seemed to pop out to me was the words "I will pour out my spirit to you". Language that sounds very familiar of God giving us his holy spirit when we believe the good news of Christ...however in this passage, God is basically saying "If you do good....THEN I will give you my spirit". You "earn" it. This is to me how this ultimately points me to Jesus. He lived in my place, perfect obedience, but still took the punishment for my sins. Through His resurrection, he becomes the "propitiation" for me as 1 John 2:2 says. His perfection (which results in the pouring out of God's spirit) is literally "merited" to me as a gift. (this is 'good news') God's spirit is given to me "through faith" in the one who DID earn it.

Well I guess that's it for now cause i'm tired. If you see something that is just totally out of line point it out to me. Again these are just my thoughts on the particular subject at the time. However anything you see from my older brother Steve should be regarded as obviously "false".

-michael