[The LORD] will be the sure foundation of your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. (Isaiah 33:6, NIV)
I’m not a big golf shop guy. I’ll wander in, look around, wander out. Unless I’m coming in for something specific, it’s unlikely I’ll find anything that captures my attention.
But a few years ago, our Links Players staff met in a meeting room large enough for 50 (we had five) at a PGA Tour Superstore. That by itself gives you an indication of how big this place was. It was sort of like a Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, but only for golfers. If I’d had room in my luggage, I could have gone home with plenty from that place!
The mistake we often make with God is that we reduce him to something akin to our local golf shop. Does he have what I need today? OK, that’s good enough. Thus, we tap into him according to our rather meager requests rather than according to his vast supply.
What if what God wants to show us something far greater than we’ve ever asked or imagined (Ephesians 3:20)? Are our eyes even looking up to see what he offers?
Consider today’s passage from the prophecies of Isaiah. Many Old Testament prophecies were specifically addressed to a certain people in a certain place. Plenty, however, contain passages that may be applied to all people across time. Isaiah 33:6 is one of these universally applicable verses. It even encourages us to think this way, speaking as it does to “your times.”
The Lord, we are told emphatically, is our sure foundation. He can be counted upon in calm times and breezy ones. He will hold us fast in the storm, no matter its force. When the hurricane has blown past, we will find he has gone nowhere. That in itself is a confidence-birthing, confidence-building promise.
But consider the next line just as earnestly: he is “a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge.” You see, when I consider God only to be my great need-meeter, I miss the whole of his capabilities. If I were offered a full morning with Jack Nicklaus to work on my game, would I limit my requests to my driver only, or maybe my mid-irons? If I did, I would miss an opportunity for so much more. God offers the fullness of his salvation, the depth of his wisdom, and the breadth of his knowledge. We are missing so much when we settle for less.
Finally, how do we access these wonders of God? By fearing him. That is, by letting him be all that he is: Creator, Master, Savior, Sustainer, Lord. We give him the reign that is his, living out his instruction with the heart of his Son. This is the way that he knows we want to dig into every corner of his treasure chest. To want him completely is to honor him as best we can.
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Jeff Hopper
February 6, 2013
Copyright 2013 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.