“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” ~ Psalm 111:10
In a world full of knowledge, the best of us chase after the highest degrees, the best universities, the most respectable of academic accolades. We place certificates upon pedestals and allow them to determine our standing in society, our status in the human race. We give fine regard to excelling above others, finishing first in a race that leads to nowhere after death.
As I complete my master’s degree, I realize how difficult it is to attain that societal badge of honour, and at the same time, how futile. In times of illness, it shall not save me. When my heart is broken, it will not heal me. In the desperate climb up the mangled corporate ladder, it may or may not help me. Why ever did I have such a great desire to get a master’s degree in the first place?
What we learn in school does not teach us about life. The trials that God sees me through, the study of the Word, the observation of human nature, the many, many lessons God Almighty Himself teaches me, equips me for life. I fear not finishing my thesis, I fear many worldly things, perhaps even more than I fear the Lord sometimes. How flawed and broken my mind is.
If only I could fathom the terrible awesomeness of God, the power He has over all creation good and evil, how even though Jesus has bridged the gap between us and God, He is still to be revered, respected, and not flippantly sinned against. I may have my salvation in heaven, but what I do with my life and body on earth counts. I have fear where I should have faith. And so many of my priorities are terribly misplaced, from beauty to worry.
If I treated God as the King of my heart and universe, surely, I will be one step closer to a better life. To keep every single one of His commandments without leeway or casualness will afford me insight into the true nature of God. The things He loves, the things He hates and can absolutely have no part of. I keep telling myself to be mindful of the things of God, not the things of man…then find myself immersed in the latter.
Knowing and believing in the purity and goodness of the Lord, the purpose for His ten commandments, why Jesus had to cover our sin with His blood so we could even come near to God, will tell me what I need to know, to live out my life as a child and disciple of Christ. I will never stop singing and praising the most Holy Name of the Lord. My prayers will be in every breath I take and my thoughts will be stayed above where treasures brim. My fear of God will diminish my fear in all other things, and I will realize nothing on earth can hurt me without God.
This wisdom no man can teach comes by the Holy Spirit and divine inspiration. It is the map of life, the only navigational success in a fallen world, the mindful way into eternity. Living a life of obedience to God keeps us in the centre of His good and perfect will. Why would I follow any other precept, or subscribe to some worldly doctrine, now that I know the only way there is out of this wilderness? Praise the Lord for His everlasting grace and mercy, for giving me, a sinner, everything I should never have. His praise endures forever.
