GOD GIVES US INTELLIGENCE
“The wise store up knowledge.” Proverbs 10:14
We praise God because we are wonderfully made. How true that is when we think about the great blessing of our brains. That organ between our ears weighs only three pounds, yet it is one of the most fantastic miracles of God’s creation. The brain works non-stop day and night, giving direction to our bodies, responding to signals, giving us thoughts and ideas, and storing vast amounts of information and memory.
Our brains are divided into several parts, each with a very special job. The right half of the brain controls the left half of the body, and the left side of the brain controls the body’s right half. Our bodies are filled with millions of neurons that send electrical messages to the brain. The brain immediately responds to the message. For instance, if you pick up a hot dish, your fingers send a message to your brain. There your brain senses that the dish is dangerous and quickly returns a message to your fingers telling them to immediately put it down. Those messages travel over 150 miles an hour. Our brains not only respond to special signals, but they also work while we aren’t even aware of it. Our brains tell our hearts to beat and our eyes to move. They can also store millions of bits of information and recall them whenever we need them, like super computers.
The Bible tells us that our brains were no accident. They needed someone with unlimited knowledge to design them. Psalm 139:14 says: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” God blesses us with knowledge and the ability to think and to learn. We agree with the psalm writer who said: “Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands” (Psalm 119:66). Solomon also wrote: “The wise store up knowledge” (Proverbs 10:14).
We must always try to fill our minds with thoughts that give glory to God. Then we will use that knowledge to teach others about the love of God. Let us go about our daily work making good use of our brains by adding new facts and information, remembering the many things we were taught, and acknowledging how wonderful and majestic God is. Then, let us ask God to help us use our intelligence for his work and for his service.
Take Thou our minds, dear Lord, we humbly pray,
Give us the mind of Christ each passing day. Amen.
From Living for Jesus by Reynold R. Kremer