Look inside this book.Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]
Wisdom’s Cry

Wisdom’s Cry

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Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice? 

Proverbs 8:1  

To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart.  

Proverbs 8:4-5

If all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ, then we cannot speak of wisdom without speaking of Him. Proverbs 8 personifies wisdom. Therefore when we come to the passage Christ is here. Our text begins by speaking of wisdom crying out and lifting up her voice. The next two verses describe her as being ‘on the top of the high hill beside the way where the paths meet, and at the gates of the city.’ Thus, wisdom is everywhere a person might go. The second portion of our text articulates her invitation to all who will hear. Wisdom appeals to all to come to her, ‘to understand prudence.’ This reminds us of Jesus’ action on the last day of the feast of tabernacles, ‘On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’  The similarity between this incident and the description in Proverbs is striking. Christ calls us to come to Him. He declared that He came into the world, ‘to seek and to save that which was lost.’ To answer His call, to embrace Him as He offers Himself is to find the storehouse of wisdom. We find Him everywhere in the Scriptures and always to do us good. 

Our Gracious Master and our God, 
we rejoice that You embody wisdom. 
We praise You that as we come to You, 
we learn to be wise.  

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
Whatever Else You Gain

Whatever Else You Gain

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Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. 

Proverbs 4:7 

… in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

Colossians 2:3  

Solomon was, according to the Scripture, the wisest man who ever lived. God said to him, “behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.” He ruled Israel during its’ golden age. He wrote much of the book of Proverbs. He valued knowledge and wisdom. Scripture records that he succeeded in an impressive array of accomplishments including the gathering of wealth, power, and influence in the ancient world. Therefore when we come to this text it is important for us to put his advice in the context of the vast number of areas in which he was succeeding. Thus, he advices, ‘get wisdom, and in all your getting, get understanding.’ In our vernacular, we might put it, ‘Whatever else you get, get understanding.’ Solomon prized wisdom above anything else that he could acquire. He advises us to do the same. The second portion of our text holds the key to how to go about acquiring this wisdom Solomon prized so highly. It leads us to Christ, ‘in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’ Looking to Christ first is always the best way forward.  

Our Gracious God and our Savior, 
we rejoice at all You bestow upon us. 
We praise You that the wisdom and knowledge we need 
is all in You.  

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

The Principal Thing

The Principal Thing

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Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. 

Proverbs 4:7 

… in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

Colossians 2:3  

Knowledge is good, but wisdom is better. Our text identifies wisdom, as ‘the principal thing.’ What does that mean? It means that wisdom is supreme. We prize knowledge and rightly so. Knowledge is vastly superior to ignorance. Ignorance is inherently dangerous. Knowledge is good and more knowledge is better. Above these is wisdom. Wisdom is understanding. Wisdom uses knowledge rightly. If a person has knowledge without wisdom, they become arrogant and thereby foolish. Paul remarks in Corinthians, ‘Knowledge puffs up.’ We want knowledge, but we must have wisdom with it. Where can we go to acquire both? According to the second portion of our text the treasures of knowledge and wisdom reside in Christ. If we gain knowledge it will be through Christ. If we find wisdom, it will be in Christ. This means if we want these things, we will pursue Christ. To know Him and the Father Who sent Him is eternal life. Therefore, we make much of Christ. He gives what we cannot acquire anywhere else. Through Him we gain knowledge and the wisdom to understand.  

Our Holy and Wise God, 
we rejoice that You do not leave us in our ignorance. 
We praise You that You point us to the One 
in Whom resides wisdom and knowledge. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Knowledge And Wisdom

Knowledge And Wisdom

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… in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

Colossians 2: 3 

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,  
But fools despise wisdom and instruction. 

Proverbs 1:7 

If we desire knowledge and wisdom where shall we begin? The second portion of our text addresses this directly. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.’ The word ‘fear’ as it appears is communicating honor, reverence, and regard. It does not denote abject terror in the way we often think of the use of the word. Thus to honor, reverence and regard God, as God, is the beginning of knowledge and the path to wisdom. To disregard God, to devalue Him in our estimation is utter folly. David remarks ‘The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.’ The remark from the fool’s mouth is not so much a statement of atheism, but rather a refusal to regard God as having any say or authority over the speaker. Thus, if we would begin to acquire knowledge and wisdom, we must begin with God. This leads us to Christ. The first portion of our text tells us all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ. Therefore, if we are to begin where God points us, we will begin with Christ. He is that storehouse of wisdom and knowledge. We begin to know God by knowing Christ.  

Our Good and Faithful God, 
we rejoice that Christ is a fountain of knowledge and wisdom. 
We praise You that You teach us, 
to go to Him, that we may deeply drink of that fountain. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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