“I have understanding and power.”

Of all the things I do, there are several things I love.  One of my favorites is being a dad.  When you have seven kids — yes, seven — you stay on the learning curve as a father a long time.  One of the most important things a parent does is explain things to young minds eager to know.  Psychologists say that a child learns half of everything he’ll ever learn by the age of 6.  That’s a lot of learning in a few short years…and a lot of explaining!

By definition, parents are older family members responsible for raising children they conceived.  The word older here means “more life experience.”  That life experience translates into explanations when the children are ready to learn or curious enough to ask questions like, “Daddy, where do babies come from?”  Of course, the discerning parent will answer according to what the child is capable of handling.

Needless to say, God has tons of life experience…in fact, more than anyone else!  Inherent in our Lord is understanding.  That’s what Proverbs 8:14 above clearly says.  But the rest of that verse is actually the key to understanding understanding.  The last two words are, “and power.”  Power makes things happen, and that’s the point.  When you have understanding and power, you can do things.  Stuff happens.

What kind of stuff?  Notice:  “By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just; by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth.  With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity” (vs. 15-16,18).  In other words, things not only happen, they happen the way they should happen.  Life goes the way it is designed.  It happens because of understanding.

How long has it been this way?  “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began” (vs. 22-23).  Verses 24-29 affirm this declaration with an orderly description of the six days of creation.  In other words, if you want to understand why things work or how they work, you must look to the design.  You need to investigate how it is made or constructed to find its function.  When God made the world, the oceans (vs. 24a, 27b, 28b, 29), the springs (24b), the mountains and hills (25), the fields (26), the heaven (27), the clouds (28) and the earth’s foundations (29b) he made them do what they are supposed to do.  Things work according to his plan and design.  This comes from understanding, which is resident in him.  When we open ourselves to learn, understanding gradually becomes resident in us.

Then verse 30 says something incredible:  “Then I was the craftsman at his side.  I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.”  Creation delights him when it functions according to his plan.  So what would be the ultimate delight in that plan?  Delighting in mankind, in you and me.  God’s most enjoyable experience concerning all the things he made is having relationship with us.  Not sure about that?  Go on to chapter 9.  Speaking poetically, Solomon describes (vs. 1-2) a house that is elaborately prepared for a large dinner party.  The invitation (3-4) goes out to “all who are simple.”  This term comes from a word that originally meant “open door.”  The idea is that simple people see an open door — any door — and walk right through it.  It doesn’t matter if the door leads to the house of a stranger, an animal cage, or a high voltage electric meter room that has “WARNING” signs all around.  Simple people will still walk in, only because the door is open.  What is God’s invitation about?  Verse 5:  “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.”  In other words, God wants fellowship with you and me.  He even offers to feed us and provide for our needs.  Again, the idea is fellowship with the Almighty God of understanding.  If we want to see things happen, if we want to experience the design God has for us, if we want God to delight in us, and we in him, if we want to have some of God’s understanding, we must respond to his invitation.  We must also, “Leave [our] simple ways and [we] will live;” we must “walk in the way of understanding” (v. 6).

How’s your understanding?  What’s going on in your life?  Are things going as they should?  How much is God delighting in you today?