“Practical wisdom for living is the central concern of the book of Proverbs.” is the first line in the introduction to Proverbs in my ESV Bible, and that is such a truth. As I have noted from my study of the word “fear”, the beginning of knowledge is in the fear of the LORD, and as I read today, so does long life.
“27The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.” – Proverbs 10:27 (ESV)
That fear or respect and adoration of the LORD is what gives us the length of life we so long for. By leading a life of and for the LORD, we are blessed with satisfaction and completeness that passes by those that are not leading a fulfilling life walking with the LORD. When we are in tune with the commandments and teaching of God, we are able to enjoy the things that come and not focus on what is missing, and that discipline, which could be described as fear or respect for the rules, leads to a longer more fulfilling life.
“1My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.” – Proverbs 3:1-2 (ESV)
I recently had a really great day in the classroom as an instructor for the company I work. That day was riddled with ambiguity as the resources we need to do the work was not made available and we as a group found ourselves maneuvering around the content to keep the trainees engaged and learning amid the disorganization that was presented. That morning I prayed that God would give me the wisdom and direction to make the right choices to be sure that I was honoring Him at every turn. And so He did. Amid all of the confusion, God gave me the wisdom to structure the content in such a way that as the day came to a close we were presented with a simpler solution to completing training and as it turns out, we did not train on things that we did not have and our next day was set up for a continuous learning event as opposed to a catch-up or re-learning event.
I suppose that the story above may not strike you as a prolong of life for fear of the LORD, but here you are. That evening, I ended the day with renewed energy and had a great dinner and exciting time with my family, and where other days I end tired and exhausted, my life seemed to take a turn for the better as a result of working hard to honor God. Due to my respect for Him, my life was extended as a result.
Having a fear and respect for God is paramount in our lives to keep us going and give us purpose. With each day I choose to once again renew my fear and respect in the LORD and work for the discipline to keep His commandments and prolong my life.
What is it that gives you life? Are you focused on yesterday and tomorrow, or are you living today in honor, fear, and respect of the LORD? What if you were to have that fear of the LORD to prolong your life?
Trevor's Thoughts 