Wisdom from Ray and Jani Ortlund

This past weekend, Jared and I had the privilege of attending the Men and Women of Wisdom Conference in Hingham, Massachusetts. Jared taught 2 of the sessions on Saturday, and I was grateful to tag along to support him, fellowship with some dear friends, and sit under the teaching of Ray and Jani Ortlund, who led the Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday morning sessions. As always, they were overflowing with wisdom, so much more than I took the time to record, but here are a few thoughts to nibble on. Podcasts will be available soon if you're interested in the full feast. :-D

Ray:

The tidy theories of the friends of Job are threatened by the untidy realities of Job's life.

When life-altering catastrophe finds us, what does God want from us? He's not asking us to understand it. He's not asking us to overcome it. He's asking us to trust him.

It is so freeing not to care about the wrong things anymore!

The son of God is gathering to his heart his bride, and he came across the tracks to the wrong side of town to find her.

Wisdom is a long, slow process of "unselfing."

Death is the only place where resurrection can occur.

Accepting Jesus doesn't mean adding him to our unchanged, unexamined lives.

When Christ transforms us, it is not cosmetic. It is a resurrection from the dead.

True Gospel preaching is not about command. It's about insight.

In the Gospel, Christ is changing the subject from our failures and sins to his grace.

Jesus Christ is the world's greatest expert on you. He not only knows you and loves you. He understands you.

Immanuel Church mantra (where Ray is pastor): I'm a complete idiot. My future is incredibly bright. Anyone can get in on this.

Jani:

Womanly wisdom is not naturally intuitive. It is hidden in Christ. We must pursue him to find it. (Colossians 2:3)

Our femininity represents part of the image of God. (To explain in paraphrase, it is not a weakness to be hidden or overcome. We are made in God's image. He designed us this way on purpose and for his purpose.)

Wisdom is the grace of Christ beautifying our daily lives.

The wise woman works, waits and worships.

Fatigue is seasonal. It is not eternal.

". . .even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save." ~Isaiah 46:4

Wisdom doesn't worry. Wisdom waits patiently.

Any proper response to God is an act of worship.

Our worship must be personal as well as corporate. Your soul has appetites and needs just like your body does. Feed your soul. Nurture it.

Submission doesn't say as much about a woman's relationship with her marriage and her man as it does about her relationship with God.

Disciplined parents raise disciplined kids. It's not "Do what I say" but "Become what I am."

Look for every opportunity to say "yes" to your kids. Then when you say "no," mean it.