Wisdom's Call: 30 Days in the House of Lifeنموونە

DRINK DEEP

You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all the sheep and oxen as well as the animals in the wild, the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea that pass through the currents of the seas. Lord, our Lord, how magnificent is your name throughout the earth! (Psalm 8:5-9)

Our distinct way of knowing—of being able to not merely know but to grow wise—is a part of the Creator’s wisdom. The animals may bring us their vivid personalities, express their intelligence and reasoning, and even show affection toward us, but we are still different from them. Some can be trained, others can be domesticated and tamed. All creation hunts, gathers, multiplies, chirps, whistles, swims, moves via wings or on two feet or four. All creation worships the Creator, simply by doing what they were created to do. Though by man’s hand creation has been broken, all creation still worships obediently by submitting to the ordered world established for them. Creatures are even able to learn, but they cannot grow wise and apply their wisdom in the way that human beings can. Despite their varied abilities, they still live in the confined circle of their God-given instincts and drives. We are different from them; Genesis tells us that we have God’s image, and they do not.

Man, in God’s likeness, looks for meanings so that he can control and direct his instinctive desires. It might be easier and more satisfying to become animalistic and satisfy all our primal urges, but even as we do so we cannot escape God’s imprint on us. Our consciences eventually will prick us, simply because we are human and possess consciences to be pricked with regret. Yes, we experience regret, and ponder the deeper things that are especially human, such as why, how, and for what purpose?

Though we are distinct from the animals, we are also distinct from God. We are fallen human beings who need wisdom; we need life and the illumination that comes from the worship of God. One brother in Christ, Frank Gaebelein, captures the differences this way:

"Even Christians, with a fuller revelation than Solomon had still cannot see the whole plan, though faith enables them to see that in everything God works for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose. There is much we cannot understand, but our efforts at aiming for unsubstantial and ungodly ideals, and our efforts to straighten things out and supply what seems to be lacking will always lead to disappointment. We simply cannot break through our barriers between our wisdom and God’s. If we could, he wouldn’t be God. We are wholly dependent on God’s great wisdom, and His increased knowledge."

We will never cross over to own the fountain and source of wisdom; however, we are privileged to drink deeply from it.

And because we are human, drink deeply we must.

O what a magnificent Creator, to make from wisdom a gift of such distinctions!