Proverbs 9:10 [ESV] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Holiness to me is a hunger for God that outweighs all other desires. There have been many times in my life where confession has not been easy, testing me to the core of my character, with great personal loss a real possibility. Keeping short accounts with God, dealing with things as they come up, being open to being corrected are all important attributes.
For me personally, the thought of somehow distancing myself from God through my own choices is a greater fear than the dreadful fear that goes with being obedient in times when the choices are so hard that I want to hide, run, or simply close down. Yet, God is faithful, He goes before me (us) and makes a way where there seems to be no way – and we have no idea how he does this.
KNOWLEDGE
Holiness is not a common word in today’s business, academic or government writing and conversations. The secular world can view all religions as both meaningful and mysterious – but as a spectator.
Yet holiness is a foundation ingredient for a fully satisfying and meaningful life. Communion with God who made all things including you and I is that beginning of wisdom. Holiness is the outworking of that relationship day by day, requiring humility, courage, and strength of character. The right thing is often not the easy choice.
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 Holy is pronounced as “qados” in Hebrew. It carries the meaning of “holy, sacred’ consecrated, set apart as dedicated to God, pure, innocent, and free from impurity.
In the LXX the word used is αγίων [hagion] which also appears in the New Testament 235 times from Matthew to Revelation, and carries the meaning “of the holy” and “of the saints”.
WISDOM – When my plan in life is to seek God in His word, in His people, and in His ways I am beginning to find the way. When I put into practice all that I learn, I am walking in the way.
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Focus as a Gallup strength helps us create and stick to our priorities, planning our progress and progressing our plan simultaneously. Make sure our plans involve caring for others.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version – The fear, reverence, and piety towards Yahweh, the personal covenant keeping and only God, who causes all existence, who is first in all skills; in learning, in life, in trade, in war, and in spirituality, and the learning and understanding of the purity, sacredness, and consecrated nature of God, is understanding, discernment, good sense, and humility.
The fear – The fear, reverence, and piety
of the Lord – towards Yahweh, the personal covenant keeping and only God, who causes all existence
is the beginning of – who is the first,
wisdom – in all skills in learning, in life, in trade, in war, and in spirituality
and the knowledge – and the learning and understanding of the of the Holy One – purity, sacredness, and consecrated nature of God
is insight – is understanding, discernment, good sense, wisdom, and humility.
PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Help me to draw closer to you each day – to follow the instructions of Proverbs 9:10
To chat to me as a professional coach/mentor – allan@theallankey.com
I so love feedback – please do scroll down and use a few moments to bless me?