Proverbs 3:1-4
"My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.
Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man."
Today's Prayer Focus
- For the wisdom of God, found in Proverbs and perfected in Christ, to be passed from generation to generation in our church.
- For the youth of LBC to take God’s wisdom into their hearts. For Fritz Schalmo and his team as they mentor and lead our youth.
- For LBC youth who have gone on to college, to take God’s wisdom with them and to find a good church.
- For teens who have not yet trusted in Christ, to embrace the gospel. For all the teens attending whose families do not yet have a church home.
- For those transitioning grades: 5th to 6th, or 8th to 9th. For those just becoming part of the youth group, to find friends and develop a heart for God.
"Remember and Be Wise"
Rachel Glodo
A proverb is a concise, pithy statement that is meant to convey good advice or wisdom: think, “An apple a day…” or “Many hands make light work.” Because we frequently encounter proverbs in daily life, it can be tempting to relegate the biblical book of Proverbs to a mere collection of useful sayings best quoted by grandmothers and the occasional pastor.
But Proverbs contains much more than handy quips about ants and sluggards. The author of Proverbs urges us to consider what it means to be wise. Wisdom is the demonstration of knowledge and good judgment in daily life, and the opening chapter of Proverbs makes it clear that wisdom is inextricably linked to honoring and serving God: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).
Proverbs 3:1-4 reveals the means by which wisdom is developed in the Christian soul. We find that wisdom is tied to the act of remembering, and indeed, the book contains numerous invocations to heed and hold fast to God’s teachings (ex, Proverbs 4:20, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live,” or Proverbs 7:1, “My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you.”). By reading, memorizing, reciting and meditating on the words of God, we effectively internalize his commandments and teachings, bringing God’s wisdom home to our wayward hearts. These verses encourage us to spend time with God’s word, engraving it in our memories and treasuring it up in our hearts.
Rachel Glodo is a young professional from Winter Park. She studies musicology (the academic study of music as it relates to history, society, politics, economics, and philosophy) and has a particular passion for Russian opera and ballet. She recently finished her master’s degree at Northwestern University. She has enjoyed serving with the LBC youth group, worship team, and Splash Kids; she also loves gardening, visiting zoos, and eating borscht.