Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, June 18, 2022
Shabbat Shalom,

Growing in Love for God 21 by David Harwood

It’s wonderful.

The Creator of all things is worth loving. He wants to be known and He wants to be appreciated by us. To grow in our appreciation of God is the path to fulfilling the Greatest Commandment. For our perception of God’s beautiful majesty to grow we need a specific form of wisdom. Paul prayed this for others. We can ask for it for ourselves.

I never stop giving thanks for you as I mention you in my prayers— 17that the God of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, our glorious Father, may give you spiritual wisdom and revelation in knowing Him. (Ephesians 1:16-17 TLV)

Job asked, “where can wisdom be found?” (Job 28:12a TLV) Wisdom comes from God and He has shared His address:

For thus says the High and Exalted One who inhabits eternity, whose Name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, yet also with a contrite and humble spirit…” (Isaiah 57:15a TLV)

Perhaps one of these meditations will focus on God’s worthiness because of  the wonder of His wisdom. Meanwhile, let’s concentrate on this. God will interact with us and instruct us. Here’s a prophetic promise revealing the Teacher’s purpose:

Then many peoples will go and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Adonai, to the House of the God of Jacob! Then He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” For Torah will go forth from Zion and the word of Adonai from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3 TLV)

His wonderful ways! The entrance to knowing God is faith, and our growth in knowing Him is through the path of appreciation. Ultimately, a multitude of ethnic groups is going to pilgrimage to the place God dwells and be taught wisdom from His word. Before this is fulfilled we get to participate in its foreshadowing. God can teach us right now. David prayed:

Show me Your ways, Adonai. Teach me Your paths. (Psalm 25:4 TLV)

We know that it is God’s practice to exalt the lowly. In this case, it is the humble who ask for insight, and purpose in their hearts to consider the instruction they receive.

Help me discern the way of Your precepts, so I may meditate on Your wonders. (Psalm 119:27 TLV)

Solomon was renowned for wisdom. His wisdom began with humility and a sense of helplessness. He needed help. He prayed:

“Now give me wisdom and knowledge” (2 Chronicles 1:10 TLV)

Solomon wanted wisdom to govern God’s people. However; he did not use wisdom wisely. The best use of wisdom is the pursuit of the knowledge of our Creator. If we want to know God’s holy nature, what He finds about Himself that He considers worth loving, we can rely upon Him. We ask, He answers. He gives wisdom into His ways.

For Adonai gives wisdom. Out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6 TLV)

Truly, the reality that God gives insight into knowing Him is a revelation, in and of itself.

Who do you open up to? With whom do you confide your motives, concerns? When you do, do you experience a sense of vulnerability? Do you open up to people that you don’t care about, who you regard as being unworthy of self-disclosure?

We open up to people we love. We confide in those who love us. We overcome our vulnerability and reveal ourselves to people with whom we value a special connection.

God reveals Himself to those who love, revere, and rely upon Him. Here are two verses to illustrate this holy reality.

To the humble, reverent, and reliant:

The secret of Adonai is for those who fear Him. He makes His covenant known to them. (Psalm 25:14 TLV)

To the affectionate and dependent:

At that time Yeshua said in response, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and discerning and revealed them to infants. (Matthew 11:25 TLV)

When we examine the command to love God with all we are, we realize that we fall short. However, because of God’s favor (charis/chen) we are in the Messiah, under mercy, and have the opportunity for our love to grow within this sphere of grace (charis/chen). We can develop this love through stewarding the illumination we receive.

We can invest every insight into God’s glory through praise. He is “Adonai-Tzva’ot: Wonderful is His counsel, great is His wisdom.” (Isaiah 28:29b TLV).  We will reap illumination.

Praise the God who gives wisdom.

Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat 18-Jun-2022 19th of Sivan, 5782 Parashat Beha’alotcha
Nu 11:30-12:16 Zec 2:14-4:7 Eph 5:8-21