Can you answer this age old question? Even the shepherds who witnessed the appearance of the star were asking this one. Why are sheep such great pranksters? Well, It's because, They love pulling the wool over someone's eyes. This is true, for though they are really defenseless, they stomp with their feet as though the are going to trample you, when their greatest urge is to turn & run.
Tuesday 5/2
Prov. 30:18,19 "There are three things that amaze me-no, four things that I don't understand: how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman."
This first verse is written to draw in the reader, to cause them to enter this thought process in a greater way than just simple surface reading. To ponder for a time the deeper meaning, the thought behind the verses. And notice how the gatherer takes the rest of his writings in this chapter using this repeated process to cause us to consider these concerns more deeply.
He starts off by pointing out the eagle the most powerful bird, that has the greatest wing span, and yet he can soar high in the sky without even flapping his wings, and without even leaving a trail. Just imagine this, in order to help us understand the massive size of this full grown eagle, the average eagles nest weighs about 500 pounds. So imagine how heavy, how powerful they are.
Then there is that snake, who can race on the surface on the surface of ground, or on the surface of the water, the writer doesn't define which species of snake he is talking about, or its speed, but many snakes can move at speeds of 12 mph. However, the important quality isn't the movement speed, but rather the striking speed, as well as, the size of animal thay can paralyze & then eat. Some snakes can strike more quickly than any eye can see, and paralyze a prey the size of a wild dear.
Next the writer focuses on just how a ship can navigate, it appears he is not thinking of just how the ship can stay on course to its destination, but rather is regarding the extent (size, weight) of the payload & the size of the rudder that can control the ships course, as well as the distance that can be realized by a ship.
Finally, the focus goes to the love of a couple and the extent that their lives can lead from dating, to marriage to sexual fulfillment, to bringing children into the world, to the amazing results that this can have on the course of the world. A godly couple joins lives, and then is blessed by God's gift of child bearing. Then as they daily follow His guidelines, from the Bible, and faithfully pass them onto his children & then we see this extent of these ties, in the establishment of a whole nation from Abraham & Sarah and one son Isaac and the result of this union to the entire population of the world.
The gatherer had less population to consider than we do today, but he none the less, was admiring the amazing order of a God who began everything with Adam & Eve. Then Our Fathers hand created all the rest and now we see His reason for being filled with wonderment. Its no surprise that he was filled with amazement, to think of its beginning to the present.
Becky & I spent a little time this weekend driving through the La Cresta area, and we were amazed by all of the plush foliage that we are enjoying because of all the rainfall of this year. As I read & ponder these few verses, I am reminded of the wonders that we enjoyed on this little jaunt that's we enjoyed this last Saturday. The wild flowers & plush foliage were a real treat.
These were just a few of the things that must have caused wonderment to the writer.
So Go With God for He desires for us to see the majestic power that He is providing for us to enjoy.
He yearns for us to understand the extent of His love for you my dear one. His desire is for us to look in amazement at His mighty handiwork, and to draw in the beautiful ways that He is working in your life.
The events both good & difficult that He is fashioning in your life in order for you to learn to lean, to rest in Him. For He cares for you, with a deeper love than you can even imagine, so calmly, expectantly look to Him.
Remember: Psa. 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Amen Pastor Ben Thank You