Saturday, September 26, 2015
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
LESSONS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR ... FROM PROVERBS (6)
He was only 22 years old when it happened, just when it seemed that he had his whole life before him. He was a gifted student who had just received his Master's Degree. He was well on his way to making his parents very happy by becoming a gifted lawyer. Then on his way back to school a violent thunderstorm came upon him. Faster and faster he sped through the woods, fueled by raw fear. Why shouldn't he be afraid? Whenever thunderstorms boomed at home, his parents would say, "The Devil is loose!" Perhaps finally the Devil would catch him and this time he would destroy him. Then suddenly a lightning bolt struck nearby and he was thrown to the ground, terrified -- terrified that he was about to die in his sins. This is no Halloween story, no horror story to be told round a campfire. This is real. Welcome to the early life of Martin Luther.
God was gracious to Martin Luther and he discovered that the righteousness God demanded in His Law He also provided through the gift of faith in what Christ had done.
How ironic that we are considered fools because we submit to the wisdom of Holy Scripture. How ironic that we are considered gullible because we point to it and say, "Thus says the Lord." The world will consider you a fool because you trust and rely upon Jesus Christ. How ironic that you have been given this wonderful fear (respect and awe for the Lord and His word), you have been given the treasure of the knowledge of Christ-crucified so that through you many more may be freed from the terrible fear (sin and death) and find that wonderful fear.
God help us that we may be fools in the eyes of men, standing in awe of what God has done for us.
