Divine Formula For Stability

Introduction: The Constant Tremor

I want to begin by asking a question that I think is on many of our hearts. Do you feel it? That low-grade, constant tremor beneath the surface of our world? It's a feeling of deep-seated uncertainty. We feel it when we scan the news headlines, which seem to lurch from one crisis to another-economic instability, political turmoil, social fragmentation. We feel it closer to home, in the quiet anxieties that keep us awake at night. The worry over our children's future. The pressure of providing for our families in a city like Metro Manila, where the pace is relentless. The strain on our health, our relationships, our peace of mind. Our times are not just changing; they feel like they are shaking.

In response to this shaking, the world offers us flimsy solutions. It tells us to find our stability in a bigger savings account, in a more prestigious job title, in the approval of others, or in the distraction of endless entertainment. But we know, don't we, that these are houses built on sand. A single market downturn, one bad doctor's report, a single act of betrayal, and the entire structure comes crashing down.

But what if there was another way? What if, in the midst of all this noise and chaos, God Himself had given us a blueprint for an unshakable life? He has. And we find it, packed with divine power, in a single verse from the prophet Isaiah, speaking to a nation in crisis, and speaking to us today. Let's turn our hearts to Isaiah 33, verse 6:

"And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: fear of the LORD is his treasure."

This isn't just a nice religious sentiment. This is God's divine formula. It is the physics of the spiritual world. Today, let us unpack these three pillars of a truly stable life.

I. The Unshakable Foundation: Wisdom and Knowledge

The verse begins, "And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times...".

A. The World's Information vs. God's Truth

In our modern world, we are drowning in information but starving for wisdom. We have more knowledge at our fingertips than Solomon could have ever dreamed of. We carry devices that connect us to a global library of facts, opinions, and data. But has this deluge of information made us more stable? Or has it made us more anxious? We engage in "doomscrolling," absorbing a tidal wave of bad news that leaves us feeling helpless and afraid. This is the world's knowledge. It is a mile wide and an inch deep.

B. The Nature of Divine Knowledge

The knowledge God speaks of here is fundamentally different. It is not horizontal knowledge-facts about the world. It is vertical knowledge-truth that comes down from God. It is the knowledge of Him. It's not just knowing about God; it is knowing God personally, intimately. It's knowing His character-that He is sovereign, holy, and just, but also merciful, loving, and faithful. It's knowing His promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), that all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28).

C. The Craftsmanship of Divine Wisdom

But this knowledge must be partnered with wisdom. If knowledge is the raw material, wisdom is the divine craftsmanship that builds a life with it. Wisdom is the God-given ability to take the truth you know about Him and apply it skillfully to the traffic jam on the road, to the conflict with a coworker, to the discipline of your child, to the decision of your finances.

D. From Blueprint to Building

Think of it this way. Knowledge is having the architectural blueprints for a typhoon-proof house. You can study them, admire them, even memorize them. But wisdom is taking those blueprints, digging the foundation deep, mixing the concrete correctly, and actually building the house so that when the storm signals are raised, your family is safe inside. The world is full of people who know a few Bible verses. God is calling us to be people of wisdom, who build our entire lives upon His unchanging Word. This is the foundation that brings stability.

II. The Powerful Result: Stability and Strength

When we build on this divine foundation, the results are profound and twofold. The verse promises they will be "the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation".

A. An Anchor for the Present: Stability in the Storm

First, consider "the stability of thy times". This is God's promise for your present reality. This is not a promise of a life without problems. Jesus Himself said, "In this world ye shall have tribulation" (John 16:33). The promise is not the absence of the storm, but the unshakeable nature of the anchor in the midst of the storm. When the gale-force winds of criticism blow against you, godly wisdom keeps you stable. When the crashing waves of a bad report hit your boat, a deep knowledge of God's faithfulness holds you fast. While others are being tossed about, their lives adrift and rudderless, the believer is anchored to the Rock of Ages. You possess an inner calm, a spiritual equilibrium, a peace that a chaotic world simply cannot comprehend. That is the stability of God.