The wisdom of God

The reading from Sirach is about Wisdom praising herself. In so doing, she is praising God from whom she comes. She is thanking God that she was with the Hebrew people as they came from Egypt. The final verse in the Wisdom of Solomon reading says that Wisdom enables us to praise by giving us the words and the ability to do so.

Perhaps unwittingly, those who banned Christmas celebrations encouraged people to look back over what has passed before moving on to the future. This is the wiser way to go. Too often we are too eager to get on with the new before we have come to terms with what has been before. Perhaps this is why so many New Year’s Resolutions fail.

There is much we can learn from Hebrew Scripture about the Wisdom of God. This was Jesus’ Scripture and that of the first Christians. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:24, “Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” This is a less familiar image of Christ for us, but we can be enriched by contemplating it.

The carol that turned the wise men from the East into three kings, has a lot to answer for! There is wisdom all around and available to us from God as there is love and joy. We are poorer for failing to recognise her and deliberately excluding her in some cases. There are very few hymns written in praise of or about joy which shows how neglected she has been.

The person who has prepared material for Seasons of the Spirit wrote, “While few of us enjoy being pulled outside our comfort zones, both word [written] and the Word [living] impel us there. We are invited to join with all people in being blessed children of this ever creating God. We are urged to set fear aside and be citizens of God’s realm – our true inheritance – rather than be bound to limited ideas and the small arena of our usual lives.” The person then asks us, “What is at stake for you if you step outside your usual comfort zone and into the wider realm of God’s love? Where and to whom can you turn to find courageous travelling companions for this journey?”

These are serious questions to contemplate. With the wisdom of hindsight, we can examine our past for clues and courage to answer them.

Rev Julianne Parker

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