Praying for Wisdom

I was listening to an audiobook today. The author explained that godly wisdom was for those moments when the Scriptures do not have an explicit command. I had two thoughts.

First, I thought, wow, that's really helpful and true. Aren't there so many times in life when the Bible has no specific directive, only principles and doctrines which shine a wide light on a decision or situation? You see, when the Bible has a command our response is obedience. We do not need wisdom when faced with many challenges in life ... we need trust and submission to the Lord. But in many other moments in life we need help for those spaces in-between God's heart and his prescribed will.

My second thought was, wow, I need to pray more. Every day, week, and global pandemic presents us with situations and decisions for which the Bible does not have a corresponding commandment. Contrary to common impulse, these circumstances do not give us permission to do as we please, rather they give us an invitation to pray. We consider God and his word, asking him for wisdom to live in light of his character and purposes. For instance the Bible does not give us a clear charter about when and how to gather again in-person as a church, but there is a clear directive to submit to governing authorities (Romans 13:1). The Bible does not speak to us specifically about how to spend every dollar we have, but gives us an overarching call to honor the Lord with our money (Proverbs 3:9). And we were reminded just this week, there is no one text that tells us exactly how to lament, identify, and seek righteousness when racial injustices persist in our cities, but we are clearly instructed to plead and work for justice (Amos 5:24).

Ultimately what I'm learning today (and through all this) is that I'm desperately dependent upon God's Spirit. Though many days I live as though he does not even exist. This was exactly the point of Paul's prayers for his brothers and sisters in first-century Colossae, "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding"(Colossians 1:9). This got me thinking about you all and compelled me to pray for you today. I imagine every week you're facing fresh challenges and decisions for which you need as much wisdom as I do. And so, I think if nothing else, we need to be praying together.

In all things we obey God's Word supremely. In times like these we are learning to submit to governing authorities yet work for justice in reverence to the Lord. And for all the spaces in between we pray for wisdom in the Holy Spirit.