Proverbs 4:6 “Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you”
I would have been close to fourteen years old and had settled into living at the children’s home, having been there for around a year. I had a social worker. He was a nice man, patient, helpful and never really on my case. He wasn’t the smartest though. He took me one day to watch him play rugby when I was around 13 and he bought me my first pint of beer after the game. He had no idea what he had just unleashed. Anyway, that’s not the story for today.
He encouraged me to visit my parents. So I did. It was awkward. I would go in the evening and they would grill me about life in the Children’s Home. I was actually happier there in the Children’s Home than I had ever really been living at home. That’s not to say the Children’s Home was perfect, cause it was not. There was a lot of bullying, some stealing, a lot of secret drinking, and some crazy antics.
One Friday night I went to visit my parents, and when I got there a stranger answer the door. I was confused, initially thinking maybe I was in the wrong tenement stairwell somehow. They asked who I was and what I wanted. I explained. They said my parents had moved away and they lived there now. I asked if they knew where my parents had moved to, and they said no they did not. And that was the start of a seventeen-year gap where I had no contact with them. I did not know how to find out where they were, I was not really motivated to do that anyway, and my social worker never asked me if I was still visiting. So it ended there, for that season, in a bizarre moment on the doorstep. There was a sense of being forsaken in some ways, but also guarded in other ways!
KNOWLEDGE
It is possible to drift away, maybe incrementally as we give ground to the pressures of life. Perhaps we have turned away, after a disappointment, disillusionment, pain or rejection. We can know this, because if it were not so, then there would be no need for the continual warnings that we read here in this book of wisdom. [Proverbs 1:8; 1:10; 1:15; 1:23; 1:24; 1:25; 1:32; 2:17; 3:1; 3:3; 3:11; 3:21; 4:6]
The sheer number of warnings against turning away, forsaking or rejecting God’s instructions and direction set us up to gain such great insights into the danger that waits for us, the importance of our choices, and the need for continual diligence.
But, let’s pause for a second……….in case we think this is some sort of mechanical behavioural treatise. The personification of wisdom and the emotional connective relationship decry that possibility. This is no set of rules, this is a relationship. There is a deep connection called for. We are being wooed – we are not to forsake our first love [Rev 2:4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.]
Turn towards God – reach out to Him – invite the Holy Spirit to have freedom in your life to bring conviction and correction – abandon yourself to the one who loves you more than is reasonable, more than you thought possible, and more than anyone else ever can. Enter into the greatest love affair of your life, with wisdom, revealed as moral purity, uncovered as holiness, and seen as the Messiah, Christ, the only son of God. Then you have found the secret garden in the middle of the storm, the safe oasis in the desert, the vanishing point where eternity meets eternity and you will truly know real love.
UNDERSTANDING
Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live?
The word used for “love” in the Hebrew language here is pronounced as ” ‘ahab” and appears 217 times in the Old Testament. It is translated into English words such as love; loved; loving; and, friends. In our verse, (v6) the use of this word implies love with friendship. Best friends maybe?
WISDOM: what or who do you turn to in life for comfort?
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Relator as a Strength brings authenticity and relational investment. You value trust highly. Be careful not to be so heavenly minded that you and no earthly use.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version – [do not abandon, desert, or neglect wisdom and she will cling to you as security, like an ark. Win her friendship, become allies with affection and she will keep you in the secret place, fortified and safe.]
PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Please help me to intentionally invest in our friendship, and to be sensitive to The Holy Spirit’s leading each day.
I so love feedback – please do scroll down and use a few moments to bless me?
Hi Ps Allan ; thx u for God words ; today I read but I feel sad about u teenage age ; by the way unbelievable how God made in you a man the faith ; strength ; compassion x other ; concern x other ; and love x other.
Thx u
God bless ; have good weekend
Thank you ps. Allan. It is so sad story of your teenage years. But I trust, Holy Spirit have comforted and strengthen you since those years. You are very special and extraordinary person in God eyes. He has transformed you to become a person with so much love, joy, wisdom, cares for others. You have let yourself to be moulded and shaped to His image as a genuine, loving and caring for others. The power of Jesus is real in your life. The power of transformation from hurts, abandon, rejection, loneliness, to become a loving, caring, full of wisdom and strong human being. Thank you Jesus for ps. Allan n Wendy n family. Jesus bless them more and more in their life, faith and ministry.
“ Turn towards God-reach out to Him—-“
This is beautiful, and I will underline it and read it over and over again. Sound advice condensed into one paragraph— it has all that we need in good times and times when there are internal struggles.
I love the Strengths thought, “Be careful not to be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly use”.
There is much needed Wisdom in today’s message. Heartfelt thanks, Pastor Allan.
Thank you for sharing your insight into scripture and your life experiences.
I marvel at how God will always find a place in our hearts after we have experienced so much rejection and disappointment.
Only God can take all the hurt and pain and put a new heat in us. Blessings.
Thank you pastor Allan.
Turn towards God – reach out to Him – invite the Holy Spirit to have freedom in your life to bring conviction and correction. – love that.
Thank you for this reminder.
You have found the secret garden in the middle of the storm, the safe oasis in the desert, the vanishing point where eternity meets eternity and you will truly know real love. – just beautiful.
I look forward to hearing more about your journey and the 17 year gap and beyond.
Dear Pastor Allan, it’s sad and heart breaking to know your early years were so emotionally charged. It’s hard to fathom what it must have felt like for you. But Jesus must have impacted your life, in such a way to bring you thus far as the beautiful person that you are now. Thank you.
Cauliflower soup with crispy bacon and walnuts!
Pastor Bobby encouraged us to embrace Jesus and shower Him with our love. He is my constant go to and source of peace and comfort. In the morning I meditate on Him and the gratitude I have for all He has done. Thank you for sharing your story, while very tragic it is good to know that He is able to heal and meet all our previously unmet emotional needs.
Wisdom! Love her and “she will cling to you as security “how true this is. We need continual wisdom.
Holy Spirit is our constant companion and most often we ignore His presence and leadings. It’s no wonder we need frequent reminders. God’s Word repeatedly instructing us, tender loving and patiently!
Thank you Ps Allan for clarifying and the AUV always blessing me.
Have an awesome weekend!
Love, Love, Love this Ps Allan.
Enter into the greatest love affair of your life, with wisdom, revealed as moral purity, uncovered as holiness, and seen as the Messiah, Christ, the only son of God.
This is such a great reminder especially during this season – what or who do you turn to in life for comfort?
Thank you so much!
Thanks Pastor Allan for further sharing your story heartbreaking as it is. Your life is certainly one of beauty from ashes.
Again I see here the importance of diligently pursuing Godly wisdom for my life through relationship with the Holy Spirit. It is the one thing worth focusing on & setting everything else aside in order to get it. God’s wisdom changes my thinking patterns to re-evaluate the priorities of my life. He is constantly warning me to wholeheartedly embrace & love her & never forget her! Your use of the words to the effect of abandoning oneself to find freedom in a love affair with the Holy Spirit in a relationship like no other bring such powerful imagery. To have a unfolding revelation of God’s love from the One Who loves me beyond reason Who loves me like no other & Who loves me way beyond what I can imagine equips me to face the storms of life with confidence in the knowledge & understanding that He will guide me through to a safe landing.
“Enter into the greatest love affair of your life”
This for me personally is the most beautiful statement of all.
True love is only found in Him
I’m honoured to be loved unconditionally by the king of heaven .
I pray my earthly life will reflect his love .
I pray I stay the path true to him all the days of my life.
17 year gap and you became a pastor. What a miracle.;what an experience. You are amazing. I thank God for you.
Pastor Alan, some the times we go through things (at the time) that we don’t understand why we go through, I believe that God has Big plans for you and I believe that what you have experienced will give you a good foothold to help these broken men and good has given you the tools to help these (many) broken men, even though a lot of these decisions we make are our choices (not all),God will always turn them around for good (if we continue to seek him) and now look 👀 at the position you are in today pastor 👏🏽😂👍🏾 (I can’t wait to work close to you pastor 👍🏾😉