Dordt Chapel

Deliverance leads to devotion. God does not love us because we are good, but because He is. And yet, experiencing God’s goodness leads us to participate in it. In Psalm 34, David sings from a cave after pretending to be insane, not from a place of strength but from a place of survival. Still, he declares, “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” and we can join him in tasting and trusting, in seeing and sharing. 

In a world that is not altogether safe, God is near: he goes before us to lead, walks beside us through the valley, and chases behind us with goodness and mercy. In Jesus, the Good Shepherd who laid down his life and rose, we learn to trade control for trust and rest in a love that does no fail. Psalm 23 is not sentimental; it’s sturdy.

When God feels absent and the wait feels endless, Psalm 13 trains us to move from protest to petition to praise. We name our “how long,” ask for the light in the dark, and choose trust before we see the answer. Through Jesus, who entered the long silence of Saturday and rose on Sunday, our waiting is filled with hope.

As we start a new series, “Songs from the Struggle,” we see how worship reorients us when we feel overwhelmed. When the “many” voices and fears pile up, Psalm 3 shows how God is the glory who outweighs them all. In Jesus - the greater Son of David who lay down in death and rose - this prayer becomes a promise, helping us to rise and rest. 

Where can wisdom be found? Proverbs 30 answers: in humble, loving attention to the created world and creative humans, to eagles and ships, ants and lizards, and ultimately to Jesus Christ. Attention becomes worship; study becomes prayer; and small, daily noticing leads to the One who made it all. 

This week Dr. Kyle Dieleman reminds us that wisdom is more than following rules—it’s about living in a way that loves God and loves our neighbors. True wisdom is found in Jesus, whose life and Spirit guide us to embody love, justice, and mercy in community.

Proverbs exposes “the sluggard” not just as doing nothing, but as avoiding love: refusing to start, to finish, and to face what loyal love requires. This message names how busyness can mask sloth, pays attention to the consequences of avoiding the one thing God calls us to do, and points us to Jesus Christ. He is the One who started, finished, and faced what we could not, so that we could work from security in his love.

The book of Proverbs places two voices before us, Wisdom and Folly, both calling for our attention. Wisdom builds and prepares a feast that leads to life; Folly is loud and lazy, leading to death. This sermon helps us to distinguish the sound of each voice, to choose commitment, and to follow Jesus, the Wisdom of God.

As a new semester begins, the book of Proverbs speaks like “letters from home,” a father’s counsel to a son. We’re invited to choose wisdom in a world of real dangers. Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, drawing us to the Father’s heart through Jesus, the true Son.

Questions for reflection & discussion:

Who has spoken fatherly or motherly wisdom into your life, a mentor, pastor, friend, or parent? What did they say that “called you forward,” and how did it shape you?

Proverbs 1:8 tells us that wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord. What does this look like, and how does taking God seriously enable you to live with passion and purpose?

Proverbs 1:9 speaks of a garland and a chain as inner anchors. What are some core truths or practices that serve as anchors for you?

Proverbs 1:10 warns against temptation. What are the moments when you are most tempted, and what boundaries can help you make better decisions? 

Join us for the 2025 Dordt University Convocation service in the B.J. Haan Auditorium.