Day 24: A Promise

Abundant Life

I have finally chosen the word I want to study first:

WISDOM

When I was pregnant with my son, I was determined to name him in such a way that every time I spoke his name or considered his name it would lead me to declare over him all that I hoped he would become one day. I made all my lists, but it was my husband who actually chose the name Orion. It was one of those seemingly casual moments that changed my course. I was very resolute about the names I had chosen. I was sure I would be able to eventually talk my husband into naming him what I wanted to name him. But when he said the words, "What about Orion," something in me shouted, "That's it!!" Of course, being resolute in naming him something meaningful, I had to look it up. It means 'son of fire' and 'valiant.'

"It's perfect," I said incredulously. "Do you really mean it? Can we really name him that?" Well, he didn't agree right away, but as far as I was concerned the search for the perfect name was over. It was several months later that we finalized it and chose his middle name. That wasn't as hard. We both wanted to honor my step-dad, who had no children bearing his name, so we chose Joseph as a middle name. Even though nothing would have made me change my mind about the middle name, I still wanted to look it up. Joseph means 'God will add' and 'wisdom and understanding.'

My pregnancy was what some people would call an open heavens experience. It was as though this new life growing within me had opened a sort of gateway between my heart and God's words. There have been very few years in my life where I have felt as though God was right beside me all the time, whispering sweet nothings and sweet everythings all the time. Not only was God speaking to me about my son, but other people were speaking to me about my son, as well. It was clear that there was a call on his life, and I was excited and terrified all at the same time.

Most days I didn't feel up to the task of raising any kid, let alone one with a Destiny. Of course, now I understand that every single one of us has a destiny. God has a plan for each one of us. Some of us are going to live our destiny out in public and some will live in sweet anonymity, but we all have a destiny. As my son has grown, I have seen many of the things God whispered to me about and still I am thrilled and terrified all at the same time.

Silent Wisdom

But it was this name, Joseph, that rang clear as a bell...a promise, not for Orion so much as for Eric and me. It was the whisper, a sense of God's intention toward me and toward Eric. We both knew we weren't up for the task of raising our son. Orion is an intense, intelligent, remarkable little boy. I still feel that I am usually one step behind him at least once a day. What is amazing to me is that now that doesn't terrify me quite as much.

That promise that God gave me...I have also seen it growing in Eric and in myself. He promised that He would add the wisdom and understanding we would need to raise Orion right. It was so fitting, too. My heart, since I was a teenager sitting in my room at night praying and reading Scripture when I couldn't sleep night after night, prayed and cried out to God for wisdom. I feasted on the Old Testament stories of Solomon, who could have had anything he wanted in the world, and I would pray with him for wisdom. Of course, in the beginning there was probably a little bit of hope that great riches would follow after such a "noble" prayer. However, as I grew up I began to realize that wisdom was far more important to me than riches.

I have been on a quest to uncover the hidden riches of wisdom and last week my friend posted Job 28 on the 30 Days of Praise page on Facebook. I have read Job several times, and I have never had this passage about hidden treasure and the value of wisdom impact me so profoundly and so deeply as I did then. I have been rolling it over and over in my mind, and it has inspired me to look once again at the depth of what that word "wisdom" really means.

I will leave you now with a verse to ponder until next time. Please feel free to share your thoughts about wisdom in a comment on this post. I would love to hear how this verse speaks to your heart.

Ecclesiastes 7:12

Ecclesiastes Vase

(NIV) "Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor."

(NLT) "Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life."

(MSG, v. 11-12) "Wisdom is better when it's paired with money, especially if you get both while you are still living. Double protection: wisdom and wealth! Plus this bonus: Wisdom energizes its owner"

~Angela