"Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength" (Prov. 8:14).
In Proverbs 8 we find a noble description of the very essence of wisdom. In this exhortation to hearken to the words of wisdom, we are called not merely to hear about wisdom, but to kneel before Wisdom itself in the person of the Son of God. When you seek wisdom, you do not seek a vague, intangible concept but Jesus Christ who is from everlasting to everlasting.
Solomon uses a number of personal attributes to describe Wisdom—attributes that are essential to the very nature of Christ. Wisdom is eternal, creative, humble, prudent, authoritative, loving, and gracious. Bishop Horne commented, “Imagination cannot form to itself a more exquisite and affecting piece of scenery, than that exhibited by Solomon in the book of Proverbs. In his seventh chapter he introduces the world, by its meretricious blandishments alluring the unwary to the chambers of destruction. In the succeeding chapter, by way of perfect contrast, appears in the beauty and majesty of holiness, the Son of the Father, the true and eternal Wisdom of God, with all the tender love and affectionate concern of a parent, inviting men to the substantial joys and enduring pleasures of immortality in the house of salvation.”
This call of the Lord is to all people. Every person has been marred by Adam’s fall, now the call of the second Adam resounds throughout the earth. “It is the proclamation of the Gospel ‘to every creature,’ ” Bridges wrote. “Wherever the word reaches, the offer is made. Wherever a lost sinner be found on this side of the grave, the free welcome of the Gospel meets him. If he be not saved, he is more lost than ever. His ruin lies at his own door.”
If you want to gain understanding, if you want to become more prudent and wise, drink from the fountain that is the very essence of these attributes. Seek counsel, not at the dry wells of the world, but at the feet of Him who is the very essence of sound wisdom. Christ says, “I am understanding, I have strength.” Everything you need is in Him. “Behold Him then, surrounded with the majesty of His mighty perfections. In all your doubts and anxieties—counsel is mine, and sound wisdom. In all your conflicts and weariness—I have strength.… Remember—His fullness is your portion.”
Where do you usually go for counsel? When you have a concern, do you immediately pray about it and search the Scriptures for help in how to deal with it? Do you ask a godly friend to help you know what Christ has to say about it? Read Proverbs 8:1–21. What do you need most to get you through your troubles? Go to Him today.
