Now I Get It! – Family Devotion – August 25, 2021

Read: Proverbs 9:1-6

Wisdom has built her house;
she has set up its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her servants, and she calls
from the highest point of the city,
“Let all who are simple come to my house!”
Proverbs 9:1-4

Now I Get It!

 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lucy was stuck. It felt like she had been working on her math problem for hours (it really had been only ten minutes). She knew how to add and subtract, to multiply and divide. In fact, Lucy was very good at math. But this problem made no sense to her. Finally, Lucy’s teacher came over. “Lucy, can I help you with that?”

“Yes, please!” she begged. The teacher spent a few minutes and walked her through the problem. She explained each part of the problem until Lucy had all the numbers ready to solve it. “Oh! Now I get it! Thank you so much!”

Lucy was very smart, but she needed some help with wisdom. Wisdom is a little bit different than how smart you are. When you are wise you can think carefully about something, understand it, and make good choices. Lucy’s teacher helped her gain wisdom in solving the math problem.

Today’s Bible verses may sound a bit confusing, but they are actually very simple. Wisdom is being pictured as a person inviting people over to the house for a big dinner. It’s like pretending Wisdom is saying, “Come on over for a party so you can become more wise.”

It may seem silly, but it’s a beautiful picture, especially when we understand who is the one that makes us so wise—Jesus. Jesus is the one who invites us to learn more about him. Jesus is the one who wants us to know how much he loves us. Jesus is the one who wants us to know that we are invited to the greatest dinner party of all time—the feast of eternal life in heaven.

Earlier this week we heard about people who were very confused when Jesus told them he is the Bread of Life. Our prayer today and every day is that Jesus can give us wisdom to solve this problem. We can pray that Jesus helps us to know that to eat the Bread of Life means to believe in Jesus and have life in his name. When we understand that, we too can say, “Oh! Now I get it! Thank you so much, Jesus, for giving me wisdom!”

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, give me wisdom to put my faith and trust in you at all times, until you lead me safely home to heaven. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• What is the best meal or dinner you have ever had? Why?
• What do you think it will be like to celebrate at what the Bible calls the feast of heaven?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• Explain the difference between being smart and being wise.
• Why is wisdom something important to have in your life?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Describe how someone would grow in spiritual knowledge and then how someone would grow in spiritual wisdom.
• Identify stories in the Bible where someone (besides Jesus) acted with spiritual wisdom.

Hymn: CW 331:1-2 – Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah

Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy pow’rful hand.
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliv’rer, Be thou still my strength and shield.