January 31 ▪ Day 31

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 10:8
Isaiah 11–12
Romans 5–6
Psalms 31

Verse Focus (Proverbs 10:8)

The wise in heart accept commands,
     but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Meditation

Hallelujah! Happy last day of the month! Pat yourself on the back for making it this far: this is an accomplishment worth rejoicing. It doesn’t matter if you missed days or readings; it doesn’t matter if you were less than “perfect” in your walk so far. What matters is that you are here, now, reading, and ready to meet with God. So, Hallelujah, Amen!

Our verse focus today is Proverbs 10:8 which says, “The wise in heart accepts commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.” A number of translations say “babbling fool” rather than “chattering fool,” but you get the same idea. Someone who is wise is biddable and teachable. Fools bring about their own ruin through their behavior.

As I think about this proverb, it occurs to me that the difference between these two is like the difference between listening and speaking. The wise person listens and thus is able to hear and accept instruction. The fool is too busy speaking to actually listen to what is needed. When I think about it that way, I wince. I was so ready to pat myself on the back for being wise, but now I realize I have far more in common with the chattering fool than I had first recognized.

Father God, preserve us from being chattering fools. Keep me from being so busy talking that I fail to actually stop and listen. Remind me to listen first. Help me to be wise: to accept instruction, direction, and yes, even commands. (How my independent spirit hates the thought of submission! I know that is pride. Forgive me, and transform my heart.) I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Isaiah chapter 11 contains yet more Messianic prophecy as it describes the kingdom of God. The promise of peace in verse 6 is often slightly mis-quoted in literature as “the lion and the lamb” that lie down together (although the verse actually speaks of the wolf and the lamb). But it’s still a powerful image, of peace between predator and prey. “And a little child shall lead them.”

Verse 9 tells us why there will be such peace. It is because “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”

As the chapter continues, Isaiah speaks of the remnant that will return from all the different corners of the globe. I particularly noticed verse 11, which states that the LORD will “extend his hand yet a second time” to recover the survivors. In contrast to the anger that was not appeased and the hand that was “stretched out” to strike the people in the previous two chapters, now we have the LORD’s hand extended to restore the people. In fact, in his desire to reunite the people He will completely remake the geography to make highways where there was previously an impassable sea (v. 16).

Isaiah chapter 12 is a beautiful song of praise in the middle of a book that is full of doom and gloom. I always love this chapter! Although it feels like this chapter belongs in the book of Psalms, rather than here in Isaiah. I especially love the concluding verse, “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

In Romans 5, Paul compares Adam to Christ. For me, the climax of the chapter is in verse 18, where he writes: “Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.” Because of this peace with God, we boast in “the hope of the glory of God (v. 2).” The translation I read this morning, the New Revised Standard Version, added another layer of meaning to this verse by translating it as “our hope in sharing the glory of God.” Huh!

There are the well-beloved verses 3 and 4, where Paul says we also boast in our sufferings. For “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Certainly these verses have often given me encouragement to persevere in difficult circumstances! Paul goes on to say, if you think about how Christ died for us while we were still sinners, think how much more we will be saved through Christ’s eternal life.

The chapter concludes by telling us that when the law came, sin was multiplied — but this shouldn’t cause us to fret because “grace abounded all the more” (v. 20).

Paul continues his argument in Romans 6, telling us that we have been baptized into Christ’s death and therefore sin no longer has dominion over us — we are not under the law, but under grace (v. 14). So what does it mean to be free from the dominion of sin? Clearly, it doesn’t mean that we no longer sin, because we do continue to sin (and Paul will go on about this at more length in a coming chapter). Dominion is power or rule. So we are no longer under the rule of sin — as Paul puts it, we are no longer enslaved to sin — and we are no longer judged by our sins but we are judged by the grace of Christ.

I find the second half of verse 16 to be particularly compelling: “Don’t you know,” Paul asks, “that… you are slaves of the one you obey — whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” This verse resonates for me.

In our American society today, slavery — literal slavery — is concept more than reality. Yes, slavery still exists — even here in America. But it is not part of everyday life. And that makes it much harder for the average person to understand what Paul is talking about when he talks about us being slaves to sin. But by connecting slavery to obedience, to what we do — to our behavior — I have a better understanding of what he’s talking about.

What benefit, Paul asks, does one receive from slavery, either to sin or to God? The answer about slavery to sin is so obvious I question why Paul even asks this: slavery to sin leads to death. But the point of asking regards the benefit of slavery to God. Slaves of God reap a benefit of sanctification — transformation and increasing holiness that results in eternal life.

Psalm 31 is a prayer of trust and a prayer for deliverance. There are many beautiful treasures in this psalm: verses that shine and capture your heart. I love the first half of verse 15: “My times are in your hand.” Also verse 24, the conclusion of the psalm: “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD.”

However, the psalm is not linear. In verse 8, David praises God for keeping him out of the hands of his enemy and he says God has “set my feet in a spacious place.” This is something already accomplished. And yet in the very next verse, David prays, “Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress.” And he goes on to pray for help “because of all my enemies.”

Although most people see psalms as “Messianic” only when they contain prophecies that were fulfilled by the life of Christ, Martin Luther would tell us that *every* psalm is about Jesus Christ. And I can see that as I read verse 11: it reminds me very much of the suffering servant songs that we get later in the book of Isaiah.

Verse 19 is another treasure: “How great is your goodness,” the psalmist cries, “which you have stored up for those who fear you.” Do you think about God “storing up” goodness to shower upon you? I think of my mother, who would buy more Christmas gifts for her children than she really needed, and so piles of gifts would be stored in a spare room. God has gifts that He longs to give you — He is just waiting for you to be ready to receive them.

Father God, I thank you that you do store up your goodness for us. Thank you that you rescue us when we are in distress. Very few of us have enemies today the way that David did, but we still experience trouble and strife. Thank you that we can always turn to you for help and deliverance.

Thank you also for removing us from slavery to sin and bringing us into your kingdom. Thank you for our ongoing sanctification. Thank you for the eternal life to come. I pray for you to fulfill the prophecies about your kingdom, to bring about the peace where the wolf will lie down with the lamb. We know that is impossible apart from your intervention — but we do so desperately need peace and wholeness in this world. Come, Lord Jesus! I pray in his name, Amen.