Find

“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but they will not find me.”  Proverbs 1:28

Find – This is the last Act of the play.  In this story, when the play ends something essential is missing – and it can’t be found.  In order to see just how critical this play is to each of us, we need to know the beginning and the middle.  It’s a very short play, so it won’t take long to hear it.  You can read the whole play is just eight verses (Proverbs 1:20 ff.)

Wisdom is the right understanding of the world and everything in it.  Wisdom is God’s free gift to all who turn themselves over to Him.  But many people scoff at God’s wisdom.  They reject His instruction and reproof.  They think they know what they’re doing.  They push God’s offer aside.  That’s Act 1.

Act 2 is the terror scene.  Calamity, disaster and grief come upon these fools.  Their lives are a mess.  They do what all fools do.  They cry out to God.  “Oh, God, help us.  Show us what to do now.”

Act 3 is Wisdom’s response.  “You wouldn’t listen when I offered you the answers for free.  Now it’s too late.  I won’t come at your begging.  I’ll hide myself.  The consequences of your life are yours to deal with.”

This is such a short and simple play that it’s a wonder how easily we forget its message.  God is not a miser when it comes to offering us wisdom.  But wisdom requires obedience.  If we refuse to obey what God reveals, the day will come when He withdraws the offer.  In that day, we will seek in vain for answers from heaven.  In that day, Wisdom will not be found. 

The Hebrew word is matsa.  It is used to describe finding just about anything from knowledge to strength to places to things that are lost.  It’s a very common word because finding something is a very common occurrence – until we seek God’s wisdom after rejecting His rule.  Then matsa is invisible to us.  The fool is one who loses what should have been a gift and never finds it again.