Dave's Diary

Prayer

LORD, I praise You as the God and Father of all, from Whom every family on earth and in heaven derives its name. As I approach Your Word today, please help me to see Your truth, to be honest with myself, to repent of sin, and to obey. Amen.

Reading

Read Proverbs 6 slowly and prayerfully. Notice which verse particularly jumps out at you. Re-read that verse a few times slowly. Write it down in your journal. Try to memorise it so that you can reflect on it without having to read from the page.

Prayerful Reflection

Now take that Proverb and think about your life at the moment. Is there a situation in your life to which that Proverb applies. Ask the Lord how this verse from His Word is telling you to live out His wisdom in that situation. Make notes in your journal.

A Devotional Thought

The phrasing of Proverbs 6:^16-19 is very striking in The Message. It reads:

Proverbs 6: ^16-19 Here are six things God hates,
and one more that he loathes with a passion:

eyes that are arrogant,
a tongue that lies,
hands that murder the innocent,
a heart that hatches evil plots,
feet that race down a wicked track,
a mouth that lies under oath,
a troublemaker in the family.

A regular reader of Scripture will not be surprised to learn that pride, lies, murder, treachery, wickedness and oath-breaking are deeply offensive and displeasing to God. But it is striking to me that the final item on this list of seven is presented as being even worse to God. The first six are described as behaviours that God “hates”. And it is fairly clear that He hates them because they go against His nature and they sow death and destruction. But the seventh item on the list is even worse! It is something God “loathes with a passion”. It is “an abomination”, the more literal translations say. And that is, “a troublemaker in the family”.

God loves family. He loves it when grandparents, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers all live together in loving harmony, because this reflects the loving harmony that exists within the Godhead, and it is part of God’s Dream for humanity. God longs for us to live in loving harmony with one another – within the family as we usually think of it, but also within the Church Family, our circles of friends, even colleagues in workplaces. God knows the synergy and creativity that flows out of harmonious relationships. So when someone comes along with evil intent or just plain selfishness and stirs up trouble and division in these communities/families, this is deeply offensive to the heart of God.

How might you be guilty of causing division, conflict or strife in your family, or the community of which you are part? Clearly today’s Word calls us to repent and to change our ways.

Prayer

Lord, please forgive me for every selfishly sinful attitude in my heart, and give me the grace to turn away from any behaviour that deepens division in my family or community. Empower me to work for peace and harmony today. Amen.