a stumbling block

There are so many things I have been learning and reflecting on this past week - about how much we need silence and solitude, about how even as children we are born selfish and not seeking God, about seeking the Kingdom, about understanding God's spiritual and physical presence in the world, about Lent. But over all these things I keep coming back to the contrast between God's wisdom and our wisdom (Jer 9:23-24, 1 Cor 1:18-31, 3:19, James 3:13, etc), most clearly stated by Paul in 1 Corinthians (emphasis added):

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

... It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

So this week I will refrain from going on and on about my own thoughts and simply challenge you to seek hard after God's wisdom, for:

"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom ...
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD.