104. Wednesday after Septuagesima Sunday.
Heavenly Wisdom; enter,
and abide in us.
1 Corinthians 3, 18-23. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God: for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men: for all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.
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Persons who are puffed up with conceit have no place in the church of Christ. He that seems to himself to be wise is far away from God; he must become a fool, before he can become wise. He must learn that he knows nothing; in this way, only, can he receive instruction of the Spirit of God. For the Holy Ghost shows us clearly that we are fools, darkened and blinded, without true knowledge of God; but he also teaches us to know God. Furthermore, he leads us into an ever deeper knowledge of self, and keeps our hearts humble, by the very fact of his revealing to our souls more and more of the wisdom of God. As a result we see that we know very little; but, at the same time, we are enabled to surmise and catch a glimpse of a depth of glorious and blessed things, and to understand that we live in the very midst of divine excellencies. What reason have we, then, to be puffed up? Or what have we in which to glory as against one another? We are not one another’s masters, but servants; we have not been appointed to rule over one another, but are joint partakers of the wisdom of God, that we may serve one another. And yet all is ours. Each one of us is part owner of the whole. All the gifts which are given to you are mine also, and mine are yours. For we are one body in Christ. Paul’s gifts of grace belong to you, and you belong to the apostolic church. The property of the father is the common property of all the children. — No, the wisdom of God does not lead to conceit and envy. Such things as these come of the wisdom from below. The wisdom which is from above is humble, pure, peaceable, full of mercy and all the fruits of love. O, that no man among us might deceive himself!
Lord God, our heavenly Father, enlighten us by thy Spirit; teach us that we of ourselves understand nothing; and teach us to know thy wisdom from on high, that we therein may serve one another with humility and faithfulness as good stewards of thy manifold grace. Amen.*
Jesus, our Lord, how rich thy grace!
Thy bounties, how complete!
How shall we count the matchless sum,
How pay the mighty debt?
High on a throne of radiant light
Dost thou exalted shine;
What can our poverty bestow,
When all the worlds are thine?
[American Lutheran Hymnal 253; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.