A Prayer about the Wisdom We So Desperately Need

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. Proverbs 9:10

Awesome God,

In this confusing and chaotic world, 

how desperately we need your wisdom. 

Parents need your wisdom to know how to

help their children stay safe and on a wise path; 

adult children need your wisdom to know how to 

talk to their parents about letting go of the car keys; 

bosses need your wisdom to know how to 

steward their employees’ gifts, 

Patients need your wisdom 

to know which course of treatment to pursue.

and on and on…

Whoever we are, 

whatever our situation, 

we need your wisdom, 

whether we realize it or not. 

May we first realize that it is your wisdom we need, 

and then may we turn to you to find it. 

When we “fear” you, 

that is live in awe of you, 

live in gratitude of you, 

live seeking your Word, 

live listening to pastors and ministry leaders and wiser friends, 

you promise, 

we will grow in your wisdom. 

It is indeed through you, 

as Eugene Peterson puts it, 

that [our] life deepens, 

and the years of [our] life ripen. 

May we “live wisely” 

so that “wisdom will permeate [our] lives.” (Proverbs 9: 11, The MSG). 

Read Proverbs 9.