Read all of Proverbs 30, this focuses on Proverbs 30:1-6
The older I get, the less I know. When I was a teenager, I had the world by the tail, and I thought I had everything figured out. I thought I knew more than my parents, because they were “old timers”. I thought I knew more than my teachers and preachers. I just knew it all.
But as I have grown older, and studied more, I become more and more aware that my little pea brain doesn’t know much, and hasn’t figured a whole lot out. The incredible mysteries of this world and of the God who created it are so much bigger than my intellect and understanding. Herein lies the incredible paradox. I study and learn about God. I read His Word and grow in Him. But as I learn more about God, I also become more and more aware of how little of Him I really understand. The more I know about Him, the more I realize I need to know.
God is so much bigger than our ability to understand. When we think we have Him figured out, we are in trouble. God’s ways are not our ways, and God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. We cannot put God in a box. As a follower of Jesus, one of our primary goals in life is to understand God, His purposes, and His ways a little more each day. But to get there, the first step is humility.
This man Agur has given us one chapter in the entire Bible. But this chapter is full of God’s ways and thoughts. He is teaching his prize pupils how to know God. And he begins with a few simple steps in the process. First, he admits his lack of ability. Basically, Agur humbly admits that, apart from God and His word, he knows nothing. A lot of people in this world set themselves up as sages, counselors, and teachers. They say, “Come to me, and I’ll give you the answers.” Agur admits that he doesn’t have the answers, but he can point you to the one who does. The first step to understanding God is humility.
Second, Agur acknowledges the greatness of God. He points out that only God can harness the wind, or ascend into the heavens. Only God has the mysteries of the universe figured out. This is important, because only God can define himself. We live in a time when everyone wants to define God, but nobody wants to look to the Bible and hear what God has said. Agur realized that the pursuit of life should be to learn about the true God, instead of creating his own.
Third, Agur shows us where to look. A humble heart that knows the greatness of God, must look to the Word of God for the answers. Many in the world tell us we can learn about God through crystals, or tarot cards, or meditation. But God has revealed Himself, His purposes, and His ways in this book you are reading. When you read the Bible, you are reading God’s revelation of Himself. This is why reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on the Word of God is so important. When you spend time in the Bible, you learn more about God.
Knowing God is a lifelong pursuit. The closer you get to Him, the farther you will realize you have to go. But it is the only pursuit worth the effort.
One last thought about this text. Notice Agur’s prayer in Proverbs 30:7-9. In an age where materialism and possessions define us, it would be wise to learn this prayer and make it our own.