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Daily Devotionals
John Gossner's Treasury
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:5. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. James 3:13.
That which God regards as foolishness, the world regards as wisdom; and reversely, he that is wise before God is a fool in the eyes of the world. Therefore St. Paul says, "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools" (Romans 1:22); and, "If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise" (1 Corinthians 3:18). He also says plainly, that "not many wise men after the flesh are called," but nearly all fools in the eyes of the world (1 Corinthians 1:26). For to become a Christian and to become a dolt are in the eyes of the world the same thing. To strive to attain "wisdom" means, then, to strive to attain true Christianity; and to be "wise" means to be a Christian, for all "the treasures of wisdom" are hid in the mystery of God and of Christ (Colossians 2:2-3). "Christ is of God made unto us wisdom. " He who has put on Christ, has put on wisdom. He that is without Christ is a fool, no matter how much he knows. The word of the cross is the school of true wisdom, even though it is to the world mere foolishness and weakness (1 Corinthians 1:23-24). When you regard yourself as the greatest fool and the greatest sinner; when you lay hold of Christ with your whole soul as your only salvation, trust in Him alone and at every thought and step keep your eye on Him, then are you the wisest man on earth. Not to know anything save Jesus Christ and Him crucified, is the wisdom of the new covenant, and it will be the wisdom of the eternal covenant.
Thy ways, O Lord, with wise design.
Are framed upon Thy throne above.
And every dark and bending line
Meets in the center of Thy love.
My favored soul shall meekly learn
To lay her reason at Thy throne;
Too weak Thy secrets to discern,
I’ll trust Thee for my guide alone.
