Day 509: The saint's victory - Proverbs 21 vs 25 - 31

25-26 The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labour. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

27-29 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent. A false witness will perish, but the word of a man who hears will endure. A wicked man puts on a bold face, but the upright  gives thought to his ways.

30-31 No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord. Proverbs 21:25-31 English Standard Version

In his letter to Christians in Corinth the apostle Paul made a statement which shows us something of the two sides to a believer's life. He said to them: “I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But, by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:9-10)

Paul wasn't boasting or trying to belittle what other apostles had done, but stating how he had gone about his life ever since God's grace had changed him from being what he used to be, to what he now was. He had become a hard worker and had accomplished many things - yet he knew that what he was achieving was due to God. Hard work and God's power are what lead to a life that is victorious. We see that in vs 25-26 of today's reading. What is the contrast there?

There are people who want to be successful and have things, but are too lazy to put in the hard work to get there. And there are righteous people who work hard not just for themselves, but, like Paul, so that they can be a blessing to others as well. We have an example of how God's grace changes people to be like that in Ephesians 4:28 where Paul wrote: “Let the thief (who has become a Christian) no longer steal, but rather let him labour, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” Verses 27-29 show another part of what we must do to live victoriously. What would that be?

We must be those who listen to good advice, refuse to lie, and give careful thought to everything we do in life. We certainly must never think that doing some religious deeds will get God on our side, especially if we are up to mischief. A story in the Old Testament tells how a King named Balak bribed a prophet named Balaam to use his 'connections with God' to get God to curse the Israelites. Another side of this type of thinking is that Christians may not only be tempted to buy a lottery ticket, but may also be tempted to try and persuade God to let them win with promises of how they’ll use the money for Him! What then is the encouraging truth in today's reading concerning God's part in victorious living? (vs 30-31)

Jesus warned His disciples that they would encounter opposition, even hostility, as they went into the world with His message. That warning still applies to His Church, to anyone who seeks to live for Jesus today. Paul says “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12) But believers have been promised God's help. In Isaiah 54:16-17 God said: “I created the blacksmith who fans the coals beneath the forge and makes the weapons of destruction. And I have created the armies that destroy. But in that coming day no weapon fashioned against you will succeed! You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me!” And when a man named Zerubbabel was facing what looked an impossible task, we read: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6) Hard work and God's powerful enabling are what lead us on to victory.