Proverbs 27 Devotional
By Pastor Lawrence

“What a day!” is a rhetorical expression that most of us have used at some point to convey our understanding of a series of unexpected and remarkable events, whether good or evil, which have surprised and even baffled us by their improbability. Most days might seem to us rather tame in comparison to those very rare and exceptional days, but the truth of the matter is that every day is mysterious and inscrutable unto man. We simply don’t know what a day might hold for us or “what a day might bring,” as Solomon says in v.1. This day could bring forth for us unexpected blessing, severe trial, exasperating conflict or even sudden death. In a matter of moments, we could lose everything that we hold dear and be absolutely impotent to do anything about it. Therefore, Solomon says, “Do not boast about tomorrow,” since you have no control over the morrow’s events.

Instead of assuming anything about tomorrow, including our own health and vigor, we ought to continually acknowledge that our times are in God’s hands. Understanding by the Spirit that we are mere creatures of God that are allotted an uncertain number of days on earth, we ought to know better than to act as if we are a god over our environment and over our moments and days. Even more so, as sinners saved by grace, we are convicted of all the wasted moments of our lives spent living in sin, and we are motivated to redeem the time that remains to spend our days endeavoring to live for the Lord.

One of the primary reasons that we are called to begin our day with prayer is to reorient us to this very truth that we are not our own but belong both body and soul to our faithful savior Jesus Christ. This new day is a gift from the Lord, a day to rejoice in, a day in which to grow in wisdom, and a day to cling to our savior no matter what unfolds in the next twenty-four hours. So let us go to the Lord in prayer this day and ask for his blessing, his guidance, his protection, his wisdom and his love, for He alone knows what this day will hold for us, and He orders every second according to His own purposes and for our good.