The Wisdom in Wisdom . . .

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! Romans 11:33

The wisdom of wisdom is that it finds its foundation in God's centrality and purposes. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" means (among other things) he is the "bull's eye" of all our desires and our Counselor in all decisions. That it is wise to consult God, yea, rely absolutely on him should be a truism for the Christian. No proof necessary here, for as A. W. Tozer says, "The unbelieving mind would not be convinced by any proof, and the worshiping heart needs none" (The Knowledge of the Holy). But we trust ourselves to God knowing that our loving Father is infinitely knowledgeable and good. Never caught "off guard" he immediately knows all possible permutations of every incident, actual and theoretical. And the end result of every plan of his moves toward the good of man and the glory of his name. He is never reckless who throws himself on the mercy of God, but wise beyond words. Paul could rightly close out his amazingly theological Romans, "to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen" (16:27).

So . . . if this is true, how vital to entrust our plans into HIS hands. Hear from that gem of a puritan, John Newton:

I can hardly recollect a single plan of mine, of which I have not since seen reason to be satisfied, that had it taken place in season and circumstance just as I proposed, it would, humanly speaking, have proved my ruin; or at least it would have deprived me of the greater good the Lord had designed for me. We judge of things by their present appearances, but the Lord sees them in their consequences, if we could do so likewise we should be perfectly of His mind; but as we cannot, it is an unspeakable mercy that He will manage for us, whether we are pleased with His management or not; and it is spoken of as one of his heaviest judgments, when He gives any person or people up to the way of their own hearts, and to walk after their own counsels.