“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” - Proverbs 30:7-8 (NIV)
Part 30 of 31
PROVERBS 30: “TWO THINGS I ASK OF YOU, LORD”
Proverbs 30 Comes from the Wisdom of a Man Named Agur
Scripture
Proverbs 30 comes from the wisdom of a man named Agur. In the first six verses, he speaks of his weakness as a man, especially in comparison to God’s greatness. In verses 7-8, Agur makes two requests of the Lord. The first request is that the Lord keep falsehood and lies far from him. I have often said that we should pray daily not to be deceived.
Falsehood, lies, deception, and dishonesty cause all kinds of trouble and lead people into bondage. Only the truth makes us free (John 8:32).
Agur’s second request is for God to give him neither poverty nor riches, but only his daily bread. He knew that if God gave him more than his daily allotment, he might have too much and disown the Lord or become poor and steal and dishonor the name of God.
I am especially impressed by this request to have neither riches nor poverty. Many people do ask for riches, but they would not always be good for them. While it’s not wrong to have things we desire, it becomes a problem if we believe we can’t be happy without them, making them more important to us than our relationship with God. I have prayed that God would only give me what I can handle and still keep Him first in my life. This, in essence, is Agur’s request. His prayers were wise, and ours should be also.
Go Deeper in God's Word
Proverbs 30 is the chapter of lists! The first list is “Two Things I Ask of You, Lord,” the rest are as follows: “Three Things That Are Never Satisfied,” “Three Things That Are Amazing,” “Under Three Things the Earth Trembles,” “Four Things Are Small, but Extremely Wise,” and “Three Things That Are Stately.” As you read Proverbs 30, note the “things” each list contains.
Walk in Wisdom
Agur’s request for the Lord to keep falsehood and lies far from him is one we all need to pray for. Make this a consistent part of your prayers moving forward. Include other things from the lists that you need in your life as well.
