O Wisdom

O Wisdom, proceeding from the mouth of the Most High, pervading and permeating all creation, mightily ordering / all things:*
Come and teach us the way of / prudence.

"And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." (Isaiah 11:2)

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

"For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Corinthians 1:21-25)

In our society, many things pass for wisdom, such as the acquisition of wealth, possessions, or power, or notions that all religions are created equal and no one religion should be given preference, especially at this time of year. That said, the world thinks Christ is foolish, not the "Teacher Jesus" or the "Good Example Jesus," but the Jesus who is the Son of God in the flesh, the Jesus who boldly claims to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) for all people. Unbelief foolishly does not want to trust Jesus to be the only way to the Father. But we Christians know better. Our wisdom is Christ Jesus, the Son of God incarnate. Our wisdom comes in trusting our Savior who came to rescue us from the clutches of sin and death. Our wisdom comes from the One who not only created us but also died and rose to save us. Therefore, we pray for Jesus to teach us His wisdom, the wisdom of new life with the only true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Oh, come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who ord'rest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! (LSB 357:2)