In His Name Devotionals
SPIRIT OF WISDOM
In His Name Devotionals
SPIRIT OF WISDOM
“(I pray) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Ephesians 1:17 NIV)
The late newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst invested a fortune in collecting great works of art. One day he read of an extremely valuable work that he determined to add to his collection. His agent searched the galleries of the world but to no avail. Finally, after many months of effort and at great expense, the agent found the prized artwork. It had been stored all alone in one of Hearst’s own warehouses.
That story parallels Christians who are constantly searching for something more because they don’t understand what they already have in Christ. Since Paul knew that was a potential problem, he prayed for God to enable believers to comprehend their spiritual riches.
“Spirit” in verse 17 refers to a disposition or attitude of humility, as in, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). “Revelation” means knowledge that God imparts through His Word. “Wisdom” is the application of that knowledge to daily living. The combined effect is a humble attitude toward God’s Holy Word, compelling you to learn it and to integrate it into every aspect of your life.
On the human level, the fullness of your inheritance in Christ is incomprehensible. God’s Holy Word reveals many of its benefits, and the Holy Spirit empowers you as you learn to live according to its principles, but much of it will remain a mystery in this life (1 John 3:2). Paul’s prayer is that you will understand as much as possible so that godly wisdom and revelation will govern all your attitudes and actions. Let that be your goal today.
