Proverbs 8:34 promises a great blessing, but it is also very specific regarding the conditions for that blessing: “Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts.”

God promises blessing for the person who seeks Him every day by listening to Him (we do that in His word) and by watching and waiting before Him.

But think for a moment about these words in the verse:  He uses the verbs “listens”, “watching”; “waiting” to describe the actions of the one who will receive God’s blessing. What the Lord is talking about here is no perfunctory “religious ritual” — especially a short one! It implies some time and patience: listening, watching, waiting — in fact it is just what so many of us are unwilling to give. Even the best of us often think we are “too busy” for more than a few hurried minutes before God.

But He is very specific regarding the one to whom His blessing is promised: “Blessed is the man who LISTENS to Me, watching DAILY … WAITING  …”. His promise is NOT to the one who gives 5 quick minutes; it is NOT to the one who is inconsistent, meeting Him one day, but not another; hit and miss. Rather His blessing is promised to the one who patiently listens, watches, and waits DAILY before Him for His wisdom.

The Proverb makes the conditions for God’s blessing very clear. The only question is: will we be willing to meet them?