Mining for Gold

Aerial view of gold mining

There's a lot of interest in gold and silver these days, as the economic crisis grinds along. Many have chosen to invest in these precious metals as a way of protecting their assets. Gold and silver have always been considered valuable. But there is something even more valuable than either of these. The Word of God teaches us that wisdom and the knowledge of the Lord are of greater value.

Hidden Deep in the Earth
In the book of Job, we read: "Surely there is a mine for silver And a place where they refine gold. Iron is taken from the dust, And copper is smelted from rock. Man puts an end to darkness, And to the farthest limit he searches out The rock in gloom and deep shadow. He sinks a shaft far from habitation, Forgotten by the foot; They hang and swing to and fro far from men. The earth, from it comes food, And underneath it is turned up as fire. Its rocks are the source of sapphires, And its dust contains gold. The path no bird of prey knows, Nor has the falcon's eye caught sight of it. The proud beasts have not trodden it, Nor has the fierce lion passed over it. He puts his hand on the flint; He overturns the mountains at the base. He hews out channels through the rocks, And his eye sees anything precious. He dams up the streams from flowing, And what is hidden he brings out to the light." (Job 28:1-11)

A gold mine

This is a great description of the lengths that men go through to mine gold, silver, precious metals, and stones. These things don't normally lie on the surface. You've got to search for them and dig for them. Wisdom, understanding, and the knowledge of the Lord are a lot like that.

Where is Wisdom?
Job went on to say: "But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living. The deep says, 'It is not in me'; And the sea says, 'It is not with me.' Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it, Nor can silver be weighed as its price. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In precious onyx, or sapphire. Gold or glass cannot equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold. Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned; And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls. The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be valued in pure gold. Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding? Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living And concealed from the birds of the sky. Abaddon and Death say, 'With our ears we have heard a report of it.' God understands its way, And He knows its place. For He looks to the ends of the earth And sees everything under the heavens. When He imparted weight to the wind And meted out the waters by measure, When He set a limit for the rain And a course for the thunderbolt, Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and also searched it out. And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.'" (Job 28:12-28)

No matter how far you search the earth or sea, you will not find wisdom or understanding. Job teaches us that we don't know their value and they cannot be found in the land of the living. You cannot put a price tag on them. They are priceless.

A gold nugget

That's why we are exhorted by Solomon to search diligently for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. He wrote: "If you seek her [wisdom] as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God." (Pro 2:4-5). So there's a quest you need to undertake personally in your own search for wisdom.

But where should you search? Well, according to the apostle Paul, we can find them in Christ "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col 2:3). That narrows it down for us considerably. You can't get any more specific than that. It's like having one of those old pirate maps with the "X" on it marking the spot where the treasure is buried.

You don't need to go to Eastern mystics or New Age teachers. You simply need to go to Jesus Christ. Call upon His name, and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Begin reading the New Testament Bible and ask God to show you the whole Truth.

If you already know Him, then go to the Word in prayer, and the Lord will give you wisdom. If you have never read the New Testament, begin there. But also supplement your reading with books like Proverbs. You can supplement your daily reading with a chapter in proverbs corresponding to the day of the month, and complete the entire book in thirty days.

Of course, knowing the Lord is not simply reading the Bible. It's a relationship with your Maker. You also grow in this relationship through worship, prayer, fellowship with other believers, being equipped for works of service, and receiving instruction in the Word. Another way you will grow in your relationship with Him is through serving.

Let me encourage you today to seek after wisdom from Jesus Christ through a personal relationship with Him. Then you will become one of the wealthiest people on earth.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the other posts in this blog available through the links in the side bar. You may also access my blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.