The Journey Israel Missed and the Journey We Miss Today
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise (Psalm 111:10 NIV).”
I picked up my four-year-old, my firstborn, from her half-day of school. On the ride home we dhad one of those rare conversations that “filled our buckets,” as we both laughed and agreed out loud. She’s so wise for her age, curious, and kind
With her, I make it a point to ask: “What did you mess up at today?
She’s a perfectionist by nature. She hates mistakes. But I believe the Holy Spirit gave me this tool to shepherd her heart. In our house, failures matter as much as successes. Even at their age, character is being formed. One lesson I want them to grasp early is this:
What you do does not determine my love for you—or God’s love for you.
(Some of you need to stop right here and sit with that. God’s love does not rise and fall with your performance.)
But it raises the question: Why do we keep messing up? Why do we still struggle with understanding?
Why Do We Still Mess Up? Israel’s Journey—and Ours
Exodus is one of my favorite books in the Bible. It reads like a drama: leadership, love, loss, rescue, rebellion.
Israel spent forty years wandering in the wilderness. Did time make them wise? No.
They saw miracles daily—manna, water, cloud, fire.
They heard God’s law thunder from the mountain.
Yet they refused to keep Him as their only source.
They grumbled. They turned to idols. They tested Him.
Their failure shows us something sobering: wisdom doesn’t come from experiences or time. It comes from fearing the Lord and walking in obedience. That’s why the psalmist ties wisdom with following His precepts.
If you read Psalm 111 from the top, you notice something else: the psalmist praises God—not just in a worship service, but from a whole life of relationship and obedience.
The order matters:
fear → obedience → understanding.
And when you know God, not just know about Him, praise will naturally flow.
Wisdom as a Road
Wisdom isn’t a destination. It’s a road walked in daily reverence. You can live decades, even surrounded by God’s works, and still miss wisdom if you don’t anchor yourself in Him. But when each step is taken with awe before Him, wisdom grows, understanding deepens, and praise never runs dry.
Never Finished Challenge: Ponder
Think about God when you wake up.
Think about Him as you start your day.
Think about Him as you lie down to sleep.
Think relationship.
Spend time with God every day—read His Word, invite Him into the details. Today I had a tough conversation. Today, my heart is heavy. I didn’t feel like inviting God in, but I knew I must. Only He can transform.
What Does Today Say About God?
Good.
Not good in a bland, lukewarm sense. But good in the Genesis 1 sense—טוֹב (tov).
Light was tov because it brought order to darkness.
Land and seas were tov because they created space for life.
Living creatures were tov because they carried His blessing to multiply.
And then humans. The text shifts: tov me’od—“very good.” That’s God’s stamp of completion, fullness, delight. Creation was now ready for its story with Him.
But don’t forget: God’s goodness is also tied to His justice and wrath. He cannot be good if He is not both merciful and just, both loving and holy.
Are you ready to reflect on God’s goodness?
What a Father.
What a King.
What a Friend.
Thank You, Jesus.