This week, we will be looking at the gift of Spiritual Wisdom, a gift that the Holy Spirit gives to everyone who follows Jesus. It is the ability to understand our circumstances as God understands them and to see the greater world from God’s perspective. St. Paul writes of this wisdom in 1 Corinthians chapters 1 and 2.
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the intelligence of the intelligent. Where is the one who is wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached. For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)
Many people think that we find our way to God through the practice of religion. The Jews of the ancient world thought they would find their way to God by keeping God’s law. Greek people thought they could find their way to God by seeking wisdom. People today think they can find their way to God through the many pathways of religion, philosophy, or spirituality available to them. But as Christians, we claim that we cannot find our way to God, but God has come to us! We joyfully affirm that while the world was wandering in darkness, Jesus Christ has come us as God’s only Son. He himself is our Way!
And now, having surrendered his life on the cross for our redemption, Jesus offers you the gift of his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will open your mind to see the truths of God, truths that were veiled from you regardless of how fervently or negligently you have practiced your religion. Your past ways of thinking are all irrelevant now, and you must say goodbye to them all. In their place, a new way of thinking will now reside in your mind, a new love will fill your heart, and a new ??? will take its rightful place in your soul. By the wisdom of God, you will begin to live as a true child of God. A new pathway is open before you and wonderful things are in store. Let us welcome the gift of his Spirit and Wisdom!
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, I welcome your gift of Spiritual Wisdom. I happily surrender my former ways of thinking to take up your new ways. Let your Holy Spirit cleanse the house of my mind of all my former corrupted ways of thinking. Implant the Truths of God within my mind and let them grow. Then let me rejoice and worship you for saving my soul from worldly ways and for fitting me for the kingdom of heaven! Let me walk each day with a renewed mind, a heart filled with love, and a will that is ever disposed toward doing the will of God.