Proverbs 8:30-32 

³⁰Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, ³¹rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind. ³²“Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.

Firecrackers

Did you watch firecracker on Canada Day? Firecrackers had become special part of celebration anywhere around the world. With remarkable burst of visual effects and explosive eruption, firecrackers excite the emotion for just a moment.

We can be amused; we can be excited, attracted to anything without even trying hard. It’s natural part of life. People travel abroad and look for amusement and excitement that they don’t experience locally. Amusement even just for a moment is appreciated; and anybody would not regret to be excited.

Of course, everyone wants to tell of things that caused them to be excited.

Let us reflect on what King David had testified in Psalm 9:1-2, ¹I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. ²I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

What do you think was the context of this testimony of King David? Was it amusing life for David to be king of Israel? Can you imagine the excitement of King David while writing about of all the wonderful deeds of the Most High God?

King David had difficult problems domestically and abroad, and he was victorious in all his battles, how? He relied upon the Lord, and God granted him victory. King David testified of all the great things that God did for him. Probably, he wanted his people and the next generations to trust in the Lord somehow.

Moreover, God caused King David to write all his experiences, why? Did he want readers David’s testimony to trust the Lord also, even in our generation?

It’s also our prayer that we continue to rejoice in the Lord. How about that?

1.  Rejoice

³⁰Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, ³¹rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.

Right! The pronoun “I” pertains to wisdom, and the pronoun “His” pertains to the Lord. Wisdom testifies of rejoicing moments filled with delight in the Lord, rejoicing in his world and delighting in human beings that he had created.

The terms, “Rejoicing and delighting” express emotional experience that wisdom delights in the presence of the Lord. Interestingly, other trusted versions of the Scripture described wisdom as “master craftsman” beside the Lord. And, wisdom rejoices and delights while actively participating in the works of the Lord.

Reflect on Philippians 4:4-7, ⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Not once but twice; it repeated and emphasized rejoicing. When we don’t feel the sense of rejoicing, we’re not supposed to force ourselves to rejoice, are we? Instead, we’re encouraged to find rejoicing in Christ Jesus through prayer and petition with thanksgiving in contrast to anxiousness in every situation.

CPP

What are you anxious of? Are you anxious when you should avail of your Canada Pension Plan (CPP)? As early as 60 years old, Canadians can avail of their CPP. But if they delay taking CPP, they will receive additional incentives.

Someone said, “I will take my CPP as soon as I am qualified.” A friend asked, “Why?” She said, “If I won’t live over 70, then I won’t benefit from my CPP.” Another one said, “If I die early, I am not anxious about not benefitting from CPP. I am more anxious if I live long. I need to have better source of living.”

What are you anxious of? Career, education, health, finances, retirement? Are you anxious of your personal testimony? How about your eternal treasure?

1 Peter 5:7 says, ⁷Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

When anxiety attacks, our human instinct is to look for immediate available solution. We want to solve problems as soon as possible, right? Have you ever sensed rejoicing in every situation, especially when you feel anxious or concerned of something that may affect your reputation or damage your testimony?

Let us reflect on what the Scripture teaches about godly wisdom.

2.  Reflect

³²“Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.

It had been observed that most children of powerful and rich people are drunk and confused by their privileges; they are not always well-behave. Solomon may have written this instruction for his children to behave properly. He wanted them to keep and follow the ways wisdom and be blessed like him as well.

We trust the Scripture as absolute truth by faith. And we are instructed to rejoice in the Lord always, but we have tendencies to complain. What can we do?

Cellphone

Whenever you scroll down on your cellphone, what is it that you normally want to see first? Calls, text messages, schedule, time, weather, social media. You can readily open your social media accounts on cellphones and see complaints.

People upload complaints anywhere or at workplaces. They enumerate difficulties and expect someone to sympathize with them. Christians may identify or agree with their uploaded complaints; unmindfully, they also insert complaints related to the uploaded complaints. Do you want others to read your complaint? What do you think? Does it help anyone to upload complaints on social media?

It helps readers to upload their own complaints. It helps devalue reputation or cause embarrassment among social media followers. Their personal testimony will certainly be affected negatively. Uploading complaints can also be possibility to testify of the sufficiency of the grace of God. How could that be?

We can follow the example of Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10: ⁷I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Apostle Paul wrote his complaints also; he even pleaded with the Lord to remove it away from him. But Paul did not elaborate about his concern; instead, he testified that God’s grace is sufficient in all his suffering, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties. Pray for wisdom so that you may use social media as platform to testify of the sufficiency of God’s grace that you have experienced.

When you upload complaints on social media, mention your experience of the sufficiency of God’s grace. It could be your opportunity to encourage others who may have similar concern that you have encountered. What do you think?

We are challenged in Romans 12:2, ²Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

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