Bifrost Arts sings, ‘Wisdom and Grace’. Notice what is stirring in you as you listen…

Teach us to number our days

That we may apply our hearts to Your ways

O! Teach us to number our days

With wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace.

Wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace

You've been our home and our dwelling

Our place in all generations.

Before the earth or the mountains were formed,

Lord, You were God.

Teach us to number our days

That we may apply our hearts to Your ways

O! Teach us to number our days

With wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace.

Wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace

Now the span of our lives,

It is made of sorrow and labor

As the days pass away like the grass

How soon we are gone.

Teach us to number our days

That we may apply our hearts to Your ways

O! Teach us to number our days

With wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace.

Wisdom and grace

Let the work of our hands bring you praise,

Set Your favor upon us.

O establish the work of our hands,

May Your kingdom come!

Teach us to number our days

That we may apply our hearts to Your ways

O! Teach us to number our days

With wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace.

Wisdom and grace, wisdom and grace

Today’s reading is from the Book of Ecclesiasticus.

Ecclus 1:1-10

All wisdom is from the Lord,

and with him it remains for ever.

The sand of the sea, the drops of rain,

and the days of eternity—who can count them?

The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth,

the abyss, and wisdom—who can search them out?

Wisdom was created before all other things,

and prudent understanding from eternity.

The root of wisdom—to whom has it been revealed?

Her subtleties—who knows them?

There is but one who is wise, greatly to be feared,

seated upon his throne—the Lord.

It is he who created her;

he saw her and took her measure;

he poured her out upon all his works,

upon all the living according to his gift;

he lavished her upon those who love him.

These lines come from a time in Jewish history which has some parallels with our own, a time of profound cultural change, when people longed, against all the odds, to find meaning in life. Such meaning came through what the Hebrew authors called “Wisdom”, and they learned to treasure it and seek for it. You may yourself be searching for meaning in life. Does that longing resonate with you today?

“The root of wisdom – to whom has it been revealed?” How easily do you feel that Wisdom is available to us? To you?

“Wisdom was created before all other things.” What do you imagine this to mean? As you listen to the reading again, you might like to savour this particular line: “Wisdom was created before all other things.”

As this prayer time draws to a close, you might like to reflect on where you might look for Wisdom, to find meaning in your life. Where do you need Wisdom in your life? Spend some time talking to God about all of this, God who is the source of all our Wisdom.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.