Daily Devotional
               Betty Miller shares her daily devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in the Bible.   

  The Wisdom of God

Verses for the Day:  

Proverbs 30:29-31 (KJV):
29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

Proverbs 30:29-31 (KJ21):
29 There are three things which go well, yea, four which are comely in their goings:
30 a lion, which is strongest among beasts and turneth not away for any;
31 a greyhound, a he-goat also, and a king against whom there is no rising up.

Thoughts for the Day:

These verses from Proverbs tell us there are four things that are stately in step, and in their stride. Three of these  are animals, and the fourth is a king who is in command, with no one rising up against him. Why would these be mentioned in a book about wisdom?

As always, the Bible uses many natural illustrations so that we can gain spiritual truths. What causes an animal like the lion to walk in such a stately step? He is known as one of the strongest beasts, but it is not just his strength that causes him to stride confidently.  It is his lack of fear. He is known as "King of the Beasts" and his strength and prowess give him this advantage; however, his confidence comes because he is not afraid of any other animal and does not turn away from any of them. The spiritual truth that we can glean from this observation is that we also can be strong and unafraid, if we walk with God and claim His strength and His confidence.

Ephesians 6:10-13:
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Notice this scripture tells us that we are to "be strong in the Lord." We are not told to be strong in our own might and power. When we claim His strength by faith, then no foe can overcome us. If we wear the "armour of God," then the fiery darts of the enemy cannot overcome us. We must recognize that our battle is not with "flesh and blood" (people); it is with the spiritual powers of darkness. If we pray for the people the devil is using against us, and take authority over those powers in the name of Jesus, then the devil will have to cease his attacks against them and us. We are told not to fear what man can do to us, as God is greater than any man.

Psalm 56:11: In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Proverbs 30:31 also mentions another stately animal, the greyhound. The greyhound is a dog that is known for its ability to run very fast. His swiftness gives him an advantage over other animals, as he can not only outrun pursuers, but he can also chase down his prey and catch them. He is very confident in any race, as he knows he can outrun most anything. The Bible talks of other animals that are also known as swift animals, such as the eagle and the roe. There are certain things that we need to be swift about, while others we should be slow in doing.  The scripture tell us to be swift to hear, while slow to speak.  Someone has said that God gave us two ears and only one mouth, so we should listen twice as much as we speak.

James 1:19-20:
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

The next animal mentioned that is stately in their stride, in Proverbs 30:31, is the he-goat. The male mountain goat is very majestic as he climbs and leaps on the steep rocky cliffs, high upon the mountain side. He also is very confident, as he is not afraid of falling. This sure-footedness comes because he has learned from his youth the way of the mountain. As Christians, we can also gain confidence by studying and learning the truths of the Bible, so that we are not afraid of the high places we must climb to overcome our weaknesses.  We must trust the Lord to give us hinds' feet.

Psalm 18:33-34:
33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.

The last example the scripture uses in Proverbs 30:31 talks about a king who has no one who is rising up against him; therefore he can ride forth on his horse in great confidence. It is quite a picture to see a military processional parade down a street for review. The general (or king), dressed in his military finest, rides on the lead horse who is girded up for the occasion. Backed by his finest men, he rides forth in great confidence, since their are no uprisings against him that he must deal with at the present time. He is also stately in appearance, as the other animals mentioned in these verses are. We can also be as this rider, when we allow the Holy Spirit to work His confidence and demeanor in us. We can also have confidence in Him when we pray, knowing that if we ask anything of Him that is His will for us, we will receive it.

1 John 5:14-15:
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father, Give us the confidence we need in order to overcome the things we face in our daily lives. Deliver us from all fear so that we will not allow the pressure of the world to cause us to compromise in any way.  May we always trust You and have confidence in You, knowing that You will never fail us, nor leave us. Let us always walk with our heads high when it comes to being a witness for You. We gladly will bear any reproach that comes because we are a Christian. We proudly bear Your name and ask that we can always walk stately and unafraid in the face of our enemies. In Your name I pray. Amen.