March 26 – A Persuasive God

“The Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”(Proverbs 2:6)

IN WORD:
Human nature takes whatever wisdom & understanding we have and gives itself the credit. We pat ourselves on the back, feel a little more enlightened than our neighbors, and have a hard time understanding why others just don’t have enough sense to receive the gospel like we did.
When we think this way — and most honest people will confess that they have, on occasion — we are forgetful of our own sinfulness and ignorant of the Word of God. Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding come from Him. We do not earn it, we do not discover it on our own, and we are not just naturally gifted in spiritual things. It comes straight from His mouth, and if He had spoken it and opened our hearts to it, we would be like billions of others on this planet — living in total darkness. Pure grace gave us the truth.
Not only is this an effective warning against spiritual pride, it is a comfort to those of us who have loved ones who reject the gospel. The key to their understanding is not our convincing words or our clear explanations. No matter how impressive our spirituality is, it won’t just rub off on those who need to know Jesus. That understanding comes from God. Our most effective approach, to be supplemented by proclaiming the message and demonstrating love, is to pray that He would open their eyes as He has opened our — by His unsearchable, unfathomable grace.

IN DEED:
God is the consummate persuader. He is able to convince the mind of the scientist and to sway the heart of the poet. No corner of the human psyche is out of His reach. No mental or emotional wall can withstand His strongest overtures for long. The key to someone receiving His truth is prayer on behalf of the receiver. Does someone come to mind? Pray — diligently, persistently, repeatedly. Pray that God will open eyes and hearts to His wisdom.

“God shapes the world by prayer.” -E.M. Bounds-