We Are As Our Spirits Are

My beautiful daughter stayed home with me last night (she missed church) because I hadn't been feeling good all day and didn't want to be left alone.  What a blessing that was.  She wanted us to still have Bible study....and I am so glad we did.  Maybe it was meant for us to be at home last night.

We read from the book of Proverbs, the 16th chapter.  I kept telling her to stop because I was trying to hi-lite verses I wanted to run reference on. 

The following verses are the ones that stood out to me the most.  Next time others may stand out.

Proverbs 16:2 ~ "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits." 

That verse immediately caught my attention.  To me it's saying that man (in general) thinks he does nothing wrong.  That everything he does is correct, right, true.  Aren't we glad God doesn't take our word for it?  If that were the case, we would all be telling God how perfect we are.

God, in His infinite mercy and goodness, doesn't take our word for it.  He looks deeper than that.  He looks into our spirit.  He sees what we don't want others to see.  He sees what we are hiding.  He sees the TRUE you....the TRUE me.

 A few commentary notes (taken from MHC):

We have a tendency to be partial when judging ourselves.

The judgement of God concerning us, we can be sure, is according to truth.

He not only sees our ways but tries our spirits.

We are as our spirits are.  This stood out to me the most.  "WE ARE AS OUR SPIRITS ARE!!!  That pretty much says it all.

Proverbs 16:5 ~ "Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join hand, he shall not be unpunished."

Notes from commentary (taken from MHC)...The pride of sinners sets God against them.

I do not, in any way, want God against me.  I can't afford that kind of loss.  And isn't PRIDE one of the seven sins that God HATES?  I do believe it is.  God will 'get you' for being prideful!!  Don't believe for one minute that He's not paying attention to your little prideful spirit.  He sees it!!

Though the prideful may join forces against God, they shall NOT escape his righteous judgement.  

Woe to him that strives with his Maker.

Proverbs 16:6 ~ "By mercy and truth iniquity (sin) is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil."

Notes from commentary (taken from MHC).....We see here how the guilt of sin is taken away from us - by the MERCY and TRUTH of God.

Mercy in promising.

Truth in performing.

Man, in his pride, doesn't see the sins he is committing (which, in itself, is a sin).  Remember, man doesn't think he does anything wrong.  He will have to first realize he's a low-down, good-for-nothing, rotten sinner....and WANT to repent. Which means he will FIRST have to get rid of PRIDE!

Proverbs 16:16 ~ "How much better is it to get WISDOM than gold! and to get UNDERSTANDING rather to be chosen than silver!

How much better indeed.  Who would rather have riches when they could have all the wisdom and understanding God has to offer?  Not me!  I'll take the W & U any day.

Hope I have given you some thought-provoking material to meditate on today.