Proverbs 2:1–10 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God … Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path … wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Can we hear the tenderness of our Heavenly Father? Listen carefully as he calls out, “My sons, my daughters, my beloved children.” Abba-Father has sweet words for us.
Can we hear his passion? He encourages us to receive, treasure, pay attention, and incline our hearts towards his fantastic counsel? He — who creates us in his image; who demonstrates his love; who fills us with his sacred presence; who is all-wise ; who defines what is true, good, and beautiful — gives us fantastic laws, commandments, instructions, and principles. Where do we find such divine guidance? The Wonderful Counselor presents his material wherever the Word of God is read, sang, prayed, and taught.
Can we hear his call to prayer? Our Father encourages us to call out and raise our voices to him. He is the one who opens eyes, instructs minds, and transforms hearts. Hear him as he bids us come boldly into his presence. He promises to lavishly grant wisdom to all his beloved children.
Can we hear his call to action? We prove to be at our best when we are seeking, searching, and laboring for truth. Like miners digging for silver or pirates searching for treasure, so we are wise to labor to think like God. To us God says, “Trust me, the treasure is worth the toil.”
Can we hear his benefits? Those who diligently meditate on God and his teachings, they are like fruitful trees planted beside a river. Through the Means of Grace — Scripture and prayer — worshipers can anticipate the gracious transformation of their hearts, minds, and actions. Yes, here God promises us an increase in knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and pleasantness of soul.
Can we sense a problem? As his born-again children, while recognizing within a Spirit-gifted desire to be biblically intelligent, to walk in holy obedience, and to be internally pure, we must admit our sin and transgressions. We undervalue Scripture, prayer, and obedience. We do not love God and his truth with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Consequently, we lack pleasantness of soul.
Can we find help in our time of need? The soul of Jesus Christ was put to grief for our sins of commission and omission. He was afflicted for our mediocre affections. His soul was made miserable as he was loaded-up, sentenced, and damned for our transgressions. He took our sins, paid for our sins, and covered our debt. His merit was placed upon our accounts, and every single day the Father has looked at us, seen his Son’s goodness, has smiled, and has treated us as if we have always loved him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Friends, as we believe this, pleasantness of soul should be returning.
Can we sense a growing ambition? Now, don’t we want to more fully enjoy the pleasantness of soul that is our inheritance? Well, then, let’s do the next right thing — that which our renewed hearts are desiring. Let’s respond to God’s grace by seeking even more grace.
Let’s meditate in and on God’s Word throughout the day. Let’s read, hear, study, memorize scripture. Let’s do it on the sofa in the morning. Let’s do it on our mobile device in the afternoon. Let’s do it around the dinner table in the evening. Let’s gather with family and friends on the Lord’s Day. Let’s gather again in community groups on another day.
Let’s pray without ceasing. The Holy Spirit is already groaning for us with such regularity. Let’s join him and commune with the Father, Son, and Spirit.
Oh friends, such a commitment to spiritual disciplines or the means of grace is not old-fashioned. It is not simplistic. It is not legalistic. It is pragmatic Christian hedonism. It is the practice of enjoying and glorifying God, and it is pleasant to the soul.
Unfathomable Grace 