In continuing our summer series of reflections on the Book of Proverbs, Stella shares a message about the importance of God’s word, trusting in Him and seeking His wisdom from Proverbs Chapter 3 entitled “One Step At a Time”.
Stella has worked at Tyndale in the External Relations department, serving, and building relationships with alumni and supporters, for over a decade. She recently relocated to Kenya after having lived in Canada for over two decades, to reunite with her family. Stella enjoys reading, exercising, travelling and dining out, in her spare time.
Speaker: Stella Josiah
Chapel Date: Tuesday May 31, 2022
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Podcast Transcript
Good morning and welcome to our continuing series of reflections on the Book of Proverbs this summer. I’m Stella Josiah and I work in the External Relations department here at Tyndale.
I would like to share some thoughts from Proverbs Chapter 3 and if I were to put a title to this, it would be ‘One Step At A Time’. This Chapter explores the importance of scripture, wisdom, loyalty, generosity, righteousness and more. However, I will focus on the importance of God’s Word, Trusting in Him and seeking His wisdom, step by step.
The first few verses of this Chapter highlight the importance of His Word. God’s Word really enriches our lives, especially when we meditate on it and purpose to keep it in our hearts and minds. We are instructed not to forget it, to hold on tight to it and the result is that God will satisfy us with long life – now this may not necessarily mean the length of life in years – but a rich and full life in fellowship with Him, having peace and enjoying His favour. What a blessing! This is how valuable and essential his Word is. Whenever a tough situation arises in my life and I’m seeking answers or encouragement, oftentimes fitting scriptures will come to mind whether I have read it recently or learnt it in a teaching long ago or heard it somewhere in between. It’s simply amazing how that works. Have you noticed that in your own life situations? Why don’t you take a moment and think about when a particular scripture provided an answer or an encouragement for you or for someone else. How did it feel? What was the outcome? His Word is truly alive! So, treasure it and never let it go.
The next few verses highlight trust or trusting in God. You know sometimes I find myself feeling hopeless in a situation that looks just as hopeless, when I can’t seem to find direction or see a way through or make any sense of what is happening. But we are commanded to trust the Lord with all our hearts, no matter what. Now it’s not easy to trust, especially if you’ve been hurt or betrayed, if you’ve been waiting a long time for something to come to pass, if you’ve experienced trauma, and the list goes on and on and on. You see, if we depend on ourselves, our fleeting emotions, strengths that only go so far, resources that are sometimes limited – we honestly rob ourselves of the safety and rest that comes with fully trusting in and leaning on God. Also, we find peace and direction when we seek Him continuously, when we make a conscious decision and a conscious effort to look to Him in and for everything. And moreover, when we have a healthy or a holy fear and reverence for God, we can be healed and whole. Isn’t that amazing? God really loves us. So, as we walk through life and its messiness - keep trusting and believing because the alternative is not what God wants for us – fear, doubt, negativity - and we wouldn’t want it for ourselves either.
Moving ahead, the remaining verses of this Chapter, talk about wisdom mostly and wisdom is an invaluable thing to have because possessing it means there is safety, you can find security, peace, value, it’s life-giving, refreshing, even joyful, it’s profitable for life and above all it gives guidance. And so here are two verses that particularly stood out to me, which are 19 & 20. Reading from the NLT version it says, ‘By wisdom the Lord founded the earth; by understanding he created the heavens. By his knowledge the deep foundations of the earth burst forth, and the dew settles beneath the night sky’. It is this very wisdom that created the complexities of this earth, or this world that we live in, that we can ask for and receive freely, for guiding our every day lives and to encourage and uplift others. Wow. So, how unwise is it then for us to lean on our own understanding and wisdom. It’s absolutely nothing compared to God’s. We only end up deceiving ourselves.
As we go step by step from soaking in His word, to trusting Him to seeking out His wisdom, we cannot go wrong in this life. I will leave you with this final thought - whenever you find yourself fearful, worried, trusting in yourself, in your resources - instead - pause, reflect, seek counsel, trust God and His wisdom. I promise you; He will never lead you astray. In fact, you’ll end up on higher ground.
Thank you and be blessed!
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