#purium

Glory Revealed Before the telescope was invented, all that was known about the sky above was what could be seen with the naked eye. Now, thanks to advances in modern technology, we are aware of far-off galaxies, stunning nebulas, and mysterious black holes. Now, we realize that our knowledge was (and still is) severely limited. There’s something about staring up at a blanket of stars that beckons wonder. There’s something about a watercolor sunset that invites curiosity. There’s something about standing on top of a giant rock—that’s suspended on nothing in the middle of a massively complex universe—that invites worship. We are merely discovering what God has put here in the first place. And the more we uncover, the more we are filled with awe. Yes, the heavens remind us of God’s majesty; the skies remind us of His splendor. But they also remind us of how big He is and how small we are. They remind us of His vastness and our limitations, and of His independence and our utter dependence on Him. So whenever you see a star-filled sky, are stopped in your tracks by a brilliant sunrise, or read about some extraordinary discovery on the fringes of space, don’t forget to praise the One who has created and sustained it all along.

Raising Wise Children Everyone wants to be smart and wise in the way they live, and Scripture tells us that true wisdom comes through two ways. First, it comes by listening to and following God. And second, wisdom comes from applying the truths in Scripture to our everyday life. The book of Proverbs is full of wise sayings and instructions for living. We can turn to Proverbs to learn more about God and how we can live in wisdom. However, the truths that we read in Proverbs are not promises. That’s not how wisdom works. Instead, a proverb is a principle for living that guides us towards what is right and good. Proverbs 22 is full of principles that are worth memorizing. The sixth verse teaches us about raising children. It’s true that the most formative years of a person’s life are in their youth. What we learn when we're growing up sticks with us—so we should pay great attention to how we teach and raise our kids at a young age. This verse is not a promise that our children will never mess up or go astray. Even though this proverb is not a promise, the principle still holds true. If the foundation of our children’s lives is built on Jesus, they will be more likely to continue to follow Him later on in life. For those who are raising children, this verse reminds us of the importance of discipleship in our kids' lives. We should take great care with intentionally raising our kids. And for those without kids in their home, there is a great opportunity to assist in the discipleship of children within the church or within the lives of family and friends. Take some time to consider how you can help in shaping the next generation to love Jesus and live in wisdom.