Protect me with your power

19Sep
‘But where shall wisdom be found?
  And where is the place of understanding?
Mortals do not know the way to it,
  and it is not found in the land of the living.
The deep says, “It is not in me”,
  and the sea says, “It is not with me.”
It cannot be bought for gold,
  and silver cannot be weighed out as its price.

***

‘Where then does wisdom come from?
  And where is the place of understanding?
‘God understands the way to it,
  and he knows its place.
For he looks to the ends of the earth,
  and sees everything under the heavens.
When he gave to the wind its weight,
  and apportioned out the waters by measure;
when he made a decree for the rain,
  and a way for the thunderbolt;
then he saw it and declared it;
  he established it, and searched it out.
And he said to humankind,
“Truly, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
  and to depart from evil is understanding.” ’
-Job 28: 12-15, 23-28


I thought I knew the story of Job. In high school I belonged to Job’s Daughters, a Masonic organization for young girls. Of course, I also heard passages read in church services. But somehow I never knew about Job 28, so very different from the other readings. In this very dramatic story Job did shun evil. His steadfast fear of the Lord made him wise. Somehow I don’t think information alone can make us wise. We can know a lot. We can be well educated and well informed, but not wise. There is another element to it, another kind of understanding. Grace?


I just got off the phone with a dear friend of mine, Janae. I wanted to talk about an old forgotten letter she wrote in 1986. Tucked away in the middle of chat about work and news about her children she wrote:


“Then the other day between first and second semester I died. That is, my heart went into fibrillation and I fell over dead. The clerk in the store knew CPR and she worked on me until the aid car came. They shocked me six times, got the heart going again, and rushed me to the hospital. They didn’t expect me to live through the night. I was in the hospital almost a week. I feel great, but I have no memory of any of it- not even the hospital. But I do remember a sense of pure love, peace and joy. I know now that man is basically good. I can’t really explain it because it wasn’t quite like anything else.”


She told me today, that there are no words that can truly explain the experience. It changed her. She said it is always in the back of her mind. She is much more tolerant and understanding. It has given her a peace that passes all understanding and wisdom.  


Musical Reflection - The Perfect Wisdom of Our God - Hymns of Grace


Merciful God, guide me by your wisdom, correct me with your justice, comfort me with your mercy, protect me with your power. Amen.

WisdomUnderstandingTolerant

Previous Page

Date
Category
Author
Latest Posts
Tags
#absalomjones, #abundance, #advent, #advent #preparation #waiting, #anger, #antiracist, #archive #crisis #strength, #archive #treasure #heaven, #art, #ashwednesday, #ashwednesday #preservation #labor, #awe #reverence #fear, #bannedbooks, #baptism #discernment #support #covenant, #bathroomfloor #damascus #women, #beatitudes #allsaints, #belonging #america, #beloved, #bible #authority #religious #thinplace, #bible #forgiveness #prodigalson, #blessing #loveyourneighbor, #breathe #silence #love, #brothers #jesus #father #faith, #burden #rest #peace, #camp #loss #death #humble #humility, #change, #change #renewal #growth, #children #education #faith #formation, #children #parenthood #graduation #bittersweet, #christmas #stnicholas, #commandments, #communication #words #voice, #community #welcome #unity, #confession #paul #imperfection #failings, #courage #parable, #creation, #creation #love #space, #crucifix #cross, #david #goliath, #death #allsaints #winter, #death #loss #grief #memory, #discernment #presence, #disciples #evangelism, #division, #divorce, #enemy, #enneagram #grace, #faith #jesus, #fear, #forever, #formation, #friendship, #good, #good #evil, #gratitude #mercy, #gratitude #sing #nature, #halloween, #halloween #allsouls, #healing #leper #miracles, #help, #help #thanks #wow, #history #love #women #justice #friendship, #humanity, #humility, #hymn, #inclusivity #diversity #allarewelcome, #individualism #wealth #camel #excess #humility, #injustice #racism #unconditionallove, #jesus #joy #suffering, #johnthebaptist, #joseph #jesus #prison #forgiveness #family, #journey #pilgrims #companions, #joy #example #light, #joy #faith #perserverance #psalm, #joy #fun #mission #medicalmission, #joy #trials #overcome #faith #endurance, #justinmartyr #civildiscourse #jesus, #keepcalm, #king #judgement #government, #kingdom, #kingdom #disciples, #kingdom #god #life #story, #light, #light #darkness #holyspirit, #light #gratitude #joy #awe #miracles, #listening, #love, #love #gratitude #peace, #love #imperfection #mother #flowers, #love #light #loveyourneighbor, #loveyourneighbor, #lyric #music #harmony #emotions #paul, #mardigras, #martinluther, #mary #joseph #jesus, #mary #martha #jesus, #marymagdalene #resurrection, #matthew #jesus #compassion #labor #suffering, #medicalmission #joy #prayer #healing, #medicalmission #youth #joy #laughter #connection, #memorialday #sacrifice #gratitude, #methodist #episcopal #eucharist, #ministry #work #labor, #miracle #friendship, #mission #medicalmission #healing #pentecost, #mission #medicalmission #serve #perserverance #loveyourneighbor, #missionstatement #inspired #strives #loveyourneighbor #dojustice #walkhumbly #archives, #money #fishing, #muppets #sabbath, #nativeamerican #land #blackfriday, #nature #retreat #moses, #neighbor #love #selflove #greatestcommandment, #painter #sailing, #parent #father #wisdom #family, #paul, #paul #jesus #authenticity #genuine, #paul #voice, #payphone #love, #peace #worry #martha #mary #vietnam #college, #perseverance, #peter #jesus #light #dark, #poetry #thanksgiving, #prayer, #prayer #grief #loss #pets, #prayer #peace, #prepare #crisis #faith #storm #jesus #archives, #psalms #mother #grandmother #gratitude, #psalms #rejoice #blessing, #quiet #retreat, #rage #unfairness #forgiveness #prayer, #rebirth #redemption #reconciliation #psalm #valley, #refuge, #remember #open #cryout #keep, #remembrance #september11, #rest, #retirement, #reward #loss #service #alcoholicsanonymous, #rock #support #foundation, #roshhashanah #judaism, #salvation #trust, #school #love #parents, #seeingjesus #hearinggod #vessel #handsandfeet, #selfrighteous #reconciliation, #serenityprayer #mary #martha, #serve #churchfamily, #solomon #failure, #standrew, #stars, #storms #peace #stainedglass, #story, #taize #prayer #listen, #teep #david #goliath #tlf, #tencommandments #sundayschool, #time #value #patience, #time #value #space, #todo #christmas, #tolerance, #transfiguration #mountaintop, #trees, #truth, #turntheothercheek, #waiting, #walkinlove, #weather #hurricane, #weddings #love #corinthians #patience, #williamtemple #singing, #witness #patience #presence #waiting, #women #mothers, #worry #trust, #worship #manygods #onegod, #wrangling #language, 12 steps, conviction, death, depression, doubt, easter, enemies, envy, eternal, eucharist, faith, female, grace, grief, holy spirit, hope, hypocrisy, jesus, judgement, love, make a difference, martyrs, medical mission, meditation, mental health, mission, mother, path, paul, pause, peace, peter, plan, power, powerless, presence, psalms, radiant, refuge, service, wisdom, youth

Stay Connected

Sign up to receive news and announcements from Trinity Church.

Sign Up