The Commands of God
Open Your Bible
Proverbs 3:1-2, Proverbs 6:20-22, Proverbs 7:1-2, Proverbs 29:18
BY She Reads Truth
The book of Proverbs is a guide for pursuing godly wisdom in our daily lives. In this four-week study, we will read a selection of topical proverbs covering different aspects of wisdom, from how to interact with our friends, families, and neighbors, to fearing God and keeping His commands. No matter the subject, these proverbs urge us to wrestle with and reflect on our own response to them. To help you better engage with the proverbs in this reading plan, we have provided you with a short introduction and reflection questions for each day.
Though it is part of our sinful nature to rebel against God, His commands are more than rules. They are one of the primary ways He has revealed His character. The commands of God help us know who He is and what He values for the children He loves.
Reflection Questions:
According to these proverbs, what purpose do God’s commands serve in the life of a Christian?
Where do you find yourself starting to “run wild” (Proverbs 29:18)? What do you think drives in us the desire to live without instruction?
Are you willing to receive correction and reproof? If so, under what circumstances and from whom? If not, why?
83 thoughts on "The Commands of God"
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Same. It’s easier for me to turn to my phone. Really need to work on this area!
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I like the idea that God’s commandments reveal his character. I hadn’t thought of them that way before! I start to “run wild” when I am lazy or lose my diligence or discipline. Playing too many games on my phone, too much time scrolling Facebook, that sort of thing. I am beginning to think I should spend more time reading books for personal instruction (parenting, growing in faith, etc.)
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The circumstances under which I am most willing to receive correction and reproof in this season of my life is weirdly rock climbing. I say “weirdly” because I am fifty years old, super afraid of heights, and a new climber. God is certainly dealing with my fear. One way that I receive correction and reproof when I climb is through failure to complete a route, so I watch other climbers, successful climbers, scale the wall before me. I study what I’m doing wrong, compared to what they’re doing right. I accept instruction even from people I don’t know who are on the ground below me, and who are telling me, out of the kindness of their heart, how to correct my position. Sometimes, the problem is that I’m too close to the wall to see my hang up or correct my missteps, but someone on the ground can see it perfectly and “correct” or “reprove” me to help me complete the route. I was reminded through this illustration that I want to be as willing to receive correction and reproof when I climb the Rock Eternal (Isaiah 26) as I am when I climb a rock wall, even from people I might not be intimately related to. What a gift that God gives us His Holy Spirit to convict us when we sin. This conviction can lead us to correct and reprove ourselves by the power of the Gospel as we watch other believers work out their own salvation. The author of Hebrews writes, “We don’t want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Heb. 6:12). Receiving correction is the difference between becoming lazy and inheriting the promise through faith and patience. Reflecting on the outcome of another’s life, helps me to remember how they “climbed” (Heb. 13:7). Why are they moving forward, while I seem to be lagging behind? What steps did they take to accomplish their route? I am encouraged by this lesson to be humble because humility will pave a path for me to receive instruction by watching the lives of others and taking advice, not naively, but wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove. When I watch and observe a successful climber tackle a route, I can follow the revealed path, not with wild haste, but with patience and faith. When I finish a route, with the help of my climbing friends, I’m happy! In the same way, when I follow God’s revelation instead of running wild, listening and following His divine instruction, I’m happy” (Pr. 29:18). With God’s help, I can scale a wall (Ps. 18:29).
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One thing I do is set phone reminders of Bible verses of God’s promises for me and set them at random times of the day
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♥️
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Thank you!
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I love that quote ‘We’ve made an idol of certainty’. Indeed nothing will ever be certain in this world. We crave certainty but often seek it in everything that will fail. Christ is our only certainty. Thanks for sharing!
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I am prone to wander. I need the daily reminders to follow God’s commands. My attention span is brief and I love the image of keeping them close as a daily reminder to not run wild!
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