Prov 7:12 [ESV] now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait.

 

I was on holiday with a couple of close friends, in an European city, and we were out at night, having a few beers (this was before I became a Christian). We ended up fairly late on chatting with a guy in a bar and he invited us all to go to another part of the city for a meal at a place he knew that had really great local food and really good prices. 

My friends declined, and tried to persuade me to also decline, but I thought I knew best (and my judgement was possibly impaired or at least relaxed by the alcohol) and I went with him. We took a cab and went to a very residential part of the city. The food was ok, nothing spectacular. Towards the end of the meal, this man put his hand on my knee, forcefully and tried to run his hand up my leg. I think I dropped my fork, and with both hands and all my strength (and I was a gym hound back then) and held him at bay. Then in the restaurant he got down on his knees at the side of the table and started to try and kiss my lower thigh. 

I was up and off in a flash, out the door into the darkened streets of a shady part of town that I did not know. Not even what direction I should start walking in. I should have listened to my friends hey!?!

 

 

 

 

KNOWLEDGE – there are temptations that are common to all men and women, and we don’t have to look far to encounter these. Moreso nowadays there are so many distractions that will swallow our time. Everyone else is doing it, and it seems somehow to be fun, or to at least dull the pain of some of our other issues. Perhaps the business of work is becoming all consuming, incrementally we have given ground, date-night has suffered, time with our children is pressed, and we, in our heads are so often “still at work” as we chase the thought of “more”.

Gallup research has identified that “well people” have learned to live well, within the means that their occupation provides (there is more to this as well and I’d be happy to chat to you one-on-one if you are interested).

 

 

 

 

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 “lies in wait” in the Hebrew is pronounced as “‘arab” and means to lay in wait, hide in ambush, waylay, and to set an ambush. It is also translated as “lurks” on a few occasions in ESV. It’s a very deliberate and intentional act, not opportunistic – although it will take opportunities, it is generally like a hunter setting a trap and then waiting for the unsuspecting pray. It reminds me of Psalm 91-3 [ESV] “For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler….”

In the LXX the word used is ενεδρεύει – evedreuei – and in the New Testament we find ἐνεδρεύω – evedreuo – Luke 11:54 “lying in wait”; and in Acts 23:21 “lying in ambush”. It’s always intentional.

 

 

 

WISDOM  – What’s your mission statement for your life, and how often do you reflect on how well you are navigating this.

 

STRENGTHS THOUGHT: When we think about our God given talents, one word that always comes to mind for me is “intentionality” – let’s be intentional in using what we have to serve God, to serve others, and to do it in such a way that the fruit of the Spirit is growing in us.

 

Allan’s Unauthorised Version – now at this exact time, in the fields and in the countryside, now at this exact time in the public square and at every street corner, she [intentionally] sets her ambush to waylay

 

Now – now at this exact time

in the street – in the fields and countryside

now – and now at this exact time

in the market – public square

and at every corner – and at every street corner

she lies in wait – she sets her ambush to waylay

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Help me today to see the ambushes of the enemy and to to set my feet in the right diirection, staying close to you.

 

To chat to me as a professional coach/mentor – allan@theallankey.com

 

 

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