Proverbs 22 Devotions by Stephen Taylor

Proverbs 22:17-19

Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD, I teach you today, even you.

There is a phrase in this verse that helps us understand and grasp the power and importance of these Scriptures. The phrase is “so that your trust,” which in the Hebrew means “a refuge, security, assurance”. So what these verses are teaching and promising us is that if we turn our ears to what He says and set our hearts upon His Word, then He will be our refuge, our security, and our assurance! Thank You, LORD! For this world and everything of it desires none of that for us.

This world and the one who has twisted it desires to be our downfall, not our defender. The Defender of our souls is the One who created it, not the one who tries to pervert it. Our God desires to be our stronghold. Let that sink in; the God of all creation longs to be gracious to you. He looks for ways to draw us back to Him; He looks for ways to bless us even though we don’t deserve it. It’s amazing to me after all of my mess that He not only welcomes me in Jesus’ name but desires to go deeper. He wants to take me deeper into His love and mercy, deeper into His freedom and grace, deeper into His Word and His character, all the while creating in me a reflection of Him!

How unworthy I am of such a God as this! Yet how willing He is to love, cherish, and protect me! This promise is not only for me, and it’s not only for you, but everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!

Psalm 71:1-5- In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel. For you have been my hope, Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.

I encourage you to pray those verses! God bless! I love you all, but His love is our only hope! Glory, honor, and praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit!