Proverbs 30:18-20 Too Wonderful
Agur looks at five things today. These are “too wonderful” for him or things “he doesn’t understand.” I’m right there beside him on some of these.
Agur says he is going to focus on three things that are too wonderous for him. He also says he doesn’t understand a fourth thing. Trouble is, he lists five things. On his last list it was pretty clear which item fit into the second group. Today, not so much. And this is compounded by him throwing in something completely different from the rest of his list. The last one is anything but wonderous. I suppose it does fit the “I don’t understand” category though. Let’s take them one at a time again and see what we learn from them.
First, we come to the one that interests me the most. An eagle in the sky is a beauty to behold. They soar on the wind currents more than ‘wing power’. They have incredible eyesight and can pick out a field mouse from their great heights. They continue to utilize the wind when they strike their prey. HOW do they know how to do this??? There is no degree in “Eagle Understanding” that I know of. There are those who study this bird but they will never feel what it is like, soaring on the wind.
I have a recurrent dream where I fly. I don’t fly like an eagle, riding the currents with arms spread wide. In my dreams I am walking along and I simply walk on with my feet never touching down. I try to teach others how to fly/float but it always fails. Sometimes I’m drawn away from the people so I can travel alone. Other times I’m actually ferrying people along; usually my children. I LONG to fly! Not in an airplane but as a solitary creature moving through God’s heavens. This, to me, is wonderous! I’m hoping God gives me the ability and opportunity to fly once I am with Him in Heaven.
The next one is something that repulses me. I HATE SNAKES!!!!!! I want nothing to do with them. They are mentioned enough in our Bible that there is no escaping the topic. When Satan met Eve in the garden that first time, he is reported to have come in ethe form of a serpent. He acted like a friend to her AND he has legs! When God cursed him, his legs were no more and he has to crawl on his belly for the rest of his life. So, the question is, HOW did he climb such heights? How can a creature with no limbs climb a rock??? How does it grip to the surface? I KNOW it happens because they sun themselves on the rocks to heat their bodies. But HOW do they get up there? They have no hands and feet to rise to newer heights. If they depended on the eagle to move them, they would find themselves on the inside looking out as they are being dissolved by stomach acid. I suppose I could learn to understand their movements, if I were given the loan of books relating to their behavior. I’m sure there is plenty of them out there. But I, personally, have no desire to learn more about snakes. I’ll let someone else ponder that issue.
The third thing is a ship out on the sea. It would be easy to sail when the water is smooth and the wind is low. It would be pleasant and relaxing. But when the wind and waves come at you, you will do whatever it takes to survive. Jesus’ disciples were bailing as fast as they could during one story and still going down. Jesus was taking a nap at the time and His disciples were none too happy with that. “Why are You sleeping at a time like this?!” He calmed the sea and probably went back to sleep. Oh to be rocked like a baby by the gentle waves! That would be wonderful.
The fourth thing is a young man and woman united in an act of love. The two of them fitting together as one for the first time. They may have had “the talk” with their parents, but until you experience that moment, you can’t really know its depth. The young woman will never be the same. From this moment on, she begins a new chapter in her life. It is a time that cannot be undone and NEVER should be rushed into. The bond must be more than simply a physical desire. It must be entered into out of complete commitment between the two. A union intended for a lifetime!
The fifth, and final, thing Agur lists is something that breaks my heart. It is woman who is deluding herself. There is no special bond this time as she enters into the act of intercourse. She has no concern for those whose lives she is damaging, including her own. She may believe she is “in love” with the man she is involved with but love does NOT set out to ruin lives. She is also lying to herself when she says that this is not sin, but perfectly acceptable behavior. Eventually she will reap the consequences of her actions. A broken life, a broken marriage, and broken relationships all around. I don’t understand how someone would enter into this kind of relationship.
I understand living in a relationship that is not satisfying all the time but that is part of marriage. You learn how to work through those times together. NOT by bringing another person in between you. The ONLY One who should be between you is the One who also binds you together; God. And He is the one who will carry you through the tough times.
Father God, You have made so MANY wonderful things for me. Thank You for protecting me from some horrible ones too. Keep the wonders coming Father, and the bad times at bay.
