#DailyDevotion Humility Is The Place To Start When You Open The Scriptures
June 24th
Read Prov 30:1–9, 18–33
Pro 30:1-9 ESV The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out. (2) Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. (3) I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. (4) Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know! (5) Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (6) Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. (7) Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: (8) Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, (9) lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
Humility is a good place to start an investigation. If you’re going to investigate something you have to first admit you don’t know something, otherwise, why investigate. Agur here certainly begins with humility. “I’m stupid” “I have no understanding” “I have not wisdom” is a good place to start with the Almighty. Who among us would speak these words not in jest but in truth?
Yet when we approach God, the Lord, it might be a good idea to place fallen human reasoning aside for a while and just listen to what the Lord is telling us about himself and just trust it. It is in trusting what God says about himself that we will eventually gain some understanding of him.
Six questions he ask in verse four. These are dealing the ability of the Almighty and are reminiscent of God’s questions to Job. The most telling question though is “What is his son’s name?” Right smack there towards the end of the book of Proverbs we see Jesus. Indeed, the New Testament authors recognized this with the first question. Jesus is the answer to these questions. He has ascended to heaven and come down when he was incarnated. He commands the wind and the waves. He created the heavens and the earth and established their limits. God has a son who is One in essence and substance with Him, it is Jesus.
We then should take refuge in God’s Word and subject our reasoning to it. Every Word of God does indeed prove true. Therefore you should not add to it. That’s what Eve did and fell into ruin. It is enough for Jesus to provide us with daily bread. When we look to our necessities and not our desires we will gain understanding and know who is the Lord. It is Jesus.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant us your Holy Spirit that we may see and know you in the Holy Scriptures and may we submit ourselves to your Word and your Will and come to a true understanding of all things. Amen.