Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together!
They really do. And this is what caught my attention this morning as I was reading Proverbs 2.
Verse 1 (NRSVUE) says, "My child, if you accept my words and treasure my commands within you."
Verse 3 (NIV), "Indeed if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
Verse 4, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
Verse 5, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."
And verses 9-11, "Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you."
There will always be some effort we must do, some ifs for the thens to be realized in our lives.
So many of us want to understand without the ifs. But the thens are so worth, so very worth the effort.
Verses 5-6 in the Amplified Bible says, "Then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] and discovering the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives [skillful and godly wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding."
And verse 7, "He stores away sound wisdom for the righteous [those who are in right standing with Him] He is a shield to those who walk in integrity [those of honorable character and moral courage."
And verse 8 (NLT), "He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him."
Just read through the ifs again and see the reality of the thens.There are such great benefits if we do the ifs! Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning
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