Gratitude Series Episode 17

Hello, my walking friend! I hope you feel good about yourself – you are taking the time to do something good for your body and you are working to develop the discipline of quiet time with Jesus. Way to go!

Today is the 17th episode in the gratitude series. In each podcast during this series we will take some time to focus on thanking Jesus for something specific and we will have two different verses to contemplate. Today we will be thanking Jesus for wisdom.

Our first verse to meditate on is James 1:5:
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus doesn’t discriminate over who he will give wisdom to? He doesn’t hold our past indiscretions against us. He doesn’t say, “Oh, Lynne, you have done some pretty foolish things in your life. I don’t think you deserve my wisdom today.” No, instead he tells us that all we have to do is ask – ask for wisdom and it will given to us… generously.

Do you remember what happened when Solomon was taking over as king of Israel? God told him to ask him for anything and he would do it for him. Solomon asked God for wisdom, and we are told that the Lord was pleased that Solomon asked for this. So the Lord gave Solomon a wise and discerning heart… and so much more!

Aren’t you grateful that Jesus wants to share his wisdom with you? I am! I only wish I remembered to ask him for it more often… and remembered to thank him. His wisdom is more valuable than any earthly treasure. It allows us to see the world from a heavenly perspective. It helps us understand the bible. And his discernment gives us wisdom for worldly affairs.

Daniel understood the power in the Lord’s wisdom and he was thankful for it. Our second verse, Daniel 2:23, says:
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.

Now let’s take a little time to think about these two verses on wisdom.

Did Jesus reveal anything special to you as you meditated on these two verses?

Here are some thoughts I had as I considered these verses and wisdom. Wisdom is not the same thing as gathering knowledge or being smart. Spiritual wisdom is the ability to see the world through the eyes of Jesus and responding accordingly. Remember, Jesus is love, and his wisdom will always reflect his love. The first step to gain wisdom is to love Jesus and his instructions. In the gospel of Mark, Jesus tells us:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.

One way to be wiser is to be more loving. And the closer we draw to Jesus and know him, the wiser we will become. One way to learn more about Jesus is to spend time studying his word, which is filled with wisdom. I love what Daniel said as he gave thanks and praise to the Lord – he thanked him for wisdom and power. Can you imagine what your life would be like if you asked Jesus for wisdom and you received, not only his wisdom, but his power, too? Personally, I feel like I need to ask the Lord to forgive me for not coming to him with an open heart, hands, and mind seeking his wisdom and power more often. Our world needs more of his followers to be filled with his wisdom, power and love – let it start with us!

Now let’s take some time to thank Jesus for wisdom and for generously giving it to us when we ask.

You are now at the halfway point of your walk. If you need to be back in 10 minutes, this would be the time to turn around and head back.

The second half of our walk is an opportunity for reflection, meditation, and prayer. For many of us, myself included, this might feel challenging. But the spiritual rewards of developing this discipline are great and so is the power of the Holy Spirit to help us. So let’s start with some questions to guide you followed by a short interlude for reflection.

Do you know anyone that you would consider wise? From your perspective, what makes them wise? Consider these qualities now.

The opposite of wisdom is foolishness. What are some things that you consider foolish? Why are they foolish? Take some time to reflect on your answer now.

In your own words, tell Jesus what his wisdom means to you and remember to thank him.

Now let’s listen again to today’s verses:

James 1:5:
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Daniel 2:23:
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.

Is there anything else you would like to talk to Jesus about? Remember, he is right there with you, walking with you, and he is eager for you to share all that is on your heart and mind with him. Take some time to talk to and to thank Jesus now.

Now I am going to pray for us:

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for generously giving wisdom to me when I ask you for it. Thank you for helping me to discern between wisdom and foolishness. Thank you for reminding me to include love as a filter when I am trying to make wise decisions. Thank you for the access I have to your word so that I can study it freely. Thank you for the revelation that comes from studying your word. I know that your word is wisdom. Today I am boldly asking for wisdom and for all the blessings you have for me. Thank you for the greatest blessing in my life – my relationship with you, Jesus. Help me know you better. Thank you for walking with me always. Amen.

Well, you did it! Another 10 minutes of walking with Jesus. Lord, thank you for my walking friend who desires to draw closer to you. Bless them with a supernatural wisdom that only comes from you.

Thank you for taking the time to walk with me today! But more importantly, you walked with Jesus, the wisdom whisperer!

For more Walk with Jesus resources, including the Walk with Jesus 21 day scripture, devotional, and guided prayer journal book for walkers, go to WalkwithJesusDevotional.com. The November edition focuses on gratitude and is a part of this podcast series. You will find the URL for this book and other resources in the podcast show notes.

I hope we can walk together again tomorrow, friend. In our next episode we will be thanking Jesus for his faithfulness. Until then, God bless you as you walk with Jesus.