I am of the firm believer there are no accidents in life. The things that we label coincidences are part of a divine plan that has been set from the very beginning when the world was spoken into existence. This plan–God’s plan–forgets nothing and includes everything, weaving large events and small decisions into a tapestry of human experience that spans thousands of years.
As I’ve spoken briefly about in the past, I’ve been privileged to lead a small group of teenage boys from our high school youth group. In trying to figure out what subject matter I wanted to explore in the group, I became aware that the boys wanted to learn more about what it meant to be a man of God. While there are plenty of excellent books on the subject (namely, anything by John Eldredge), instead of discussing specific traits that make up a godly man, I was drawn to discuss something even more general, overarching, and, I thought, much more immediately applicable: wisdom.
In my own personal small group that my wife and I attend with some other members from Calvary, we had just started a study of the book of Ecclesiastes, a fabulous book of the Bible whose author was out on a quest for wisdom and recorded his experiences and thoughts on the value of wisdom in a life full of unfairness and unfulfilling work.
So, because of our study of Ecclesiastes I was drawn to explore Proverbs with the boys, but what book to use? It was then I remembered a book that I had started reading–but never finished–ten years ago that I had managed to keep with me for all those years. The book, Making Life Work: Putting God’s Wisdom in Action, was written by Bill Hybels and is a study and exploration of the book of Proverbs. Perfect, I thought. Only took me ten years to pick it up again.
Imagine, then, my surprise when Pastor Howard announced he was going to do a month-long series on wisdom through the book of Proverbs in November. So, for the month of November, I’ll be learning Proverbs on Sunday, studying Ecclesiastes on Monday, teaching and discussing Proverbs on Tuesday!
Coincidence? Absolutely not. When God wants to teach / tell us something, He makes it plain. Sometimes He uses things that we’ve long forgotten about (like a ten-year-old book) just to show us that nothing is an accident or an afterthought. There’s always a plan and a reason. If things, ideas, and comments keep popping up over and over again in our life, it’s usually the Lord speaking. What’s the Lord telling me? Probably that I need more wisdom, which is fine with me!
So, take the time and look back in your life a little bit. With the Holy Spirit’s help, you’ll be able to see a little bit of the thread that’s being woven in your life and where it’s fitting a little bit in God’s magnificent tapestry. I hope and pray that you all are enlightened this week as to what God’s telling you through your life.
– Matt
coincidencedivine planno accidentsthreadwisdom
Wisdom Found on a Thread
October 29, 2009
Calvary
Comments Off on Wisdom Found on a Thread
Matt
I am of the firm believer there are no accidents in life. The things that we label coincidences are part of a divine plan that has been set from the very beginning when the world was spoken into existence. This plan–God’s plan–forgets nothing and includes everything, weaving large events and small decisions into a tapestry of human experience that spans thousands of years.
As I’ve spoken briefly about in the past, I’ve been privileged to lead a small group of teenage boys from our high school youth group. In trying to figure out what subject matter I wanted to explore in the group, I became aware that the boys wanted to learn more about what it meant to be a man of God. While there are plenty of excellent books on the subject (namely, anything by John Eldredge), instead of discussing specific traits that make up a godly man, I was drawn to discuss something even more general, overarching, and, I thought, much more immediately applicable: wisdom.
In my own personal small group that my wife and I attend with some other members from Calvary, we had just started a study of the book of Ecclesiastes, a fabulous book of the Bible whose author was out on a quest for wisdom and recorded his experiences and thoughts on the value of wisdom in a life full of unfairness and unfulfilling work.
So, because of our study of Ecclesiastes I was drawn to explore Proverbs with the boys, but what book to use? It was then I remembered a book that I had started reading–but never finished–ten years ago that I had managed to keep with me for all those years. The book, Making Life Work: Putting God’s Wisdom in Action, was written by Bill Hybels and is a study and exploration of the book of Proverbs. Perfect, I thought. Only took me ten years to pick it up again.
Imagine, then, my surprise when Pastor Howard announced he was going to do a month-long series on wisdom through the book of Proverbs in November. So, for the month of November, I’ll be learning Proverbs on Sunday, studying Ecclesiastes on Monday, teaching and discussing Proverbs on Tuesday!
Coincidence? Absolutely not. When God wants to teach / tell us something, He makes it plain. Sometimes He uses things that we’ve long forgotten about (like a ten-year-old book) just to show us that nothing is an accident or an afterthought. There’s always a plan and a reason. If things, ideas, and comments keep popping up over and over again in our life, it’s usually the Lord speaking. What’s the Lord telling me? Probably that I need more wisdom, which is fine with me!
So, take the time and look back in your life a little bit. With the Holy Spirit’s help, you’ll be able to see a little bit of the thread that’s being woven in your life and where it’s fitting a little bit in God’s magnificent tapestry. I hope and pray that you all are enlightened this week as to what God’s telling you through your life.
– Matt
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coincidencedivine planno accidentsthreadwisdom