Great Counsel

Grand #3 – Isabelle Grace – is a few months short of 2 years old, and is learning new words.  One of her favorite words is “no” but right now it is the answer to everything.  Are you hungry – no; Do you want more – no; Do you need help … no.  I haven’t heard her say “yes,” but there’s no mistaking yes!

 

Proverbs 5:22-23, “The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.”  We’ve all witnessed those who are eventually caught in their own wicked plotting, and proved this verse to be true.  Did you know, however, even the righteous can become entangled by their own doings?  When we go along, even doing good and righteous things, without God’s permission and guidance – yes, we become entangled.  One of the most common ways Christians do this is by saying “yes” too often.  The only “yes” we should ever utter is first to God!  “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel.” (Proverbs 12:15).  It is good and obedient to serve the Lord, to be a willing vessel, but only by the Great Counsel of God.  I’ve heard my Dad say we can be as much out of the will of God by saying “yes” to everything as by saying “no” to everything.  “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” (Psalm 37:23). There’s never delight when we present our to-do list to God in the morning and demand He bless it.  What we’ve committed to must always originate from a time of prayer, and at the direction of The Father.  Now, I know Isabelle will eventually learn to say “yes” – at least, we hope so – and as Christians we must always let our yes’s and our no’s be spoken only after we’ve put our requests before God.  This is how we avoid the trappings of busy-ness, and how we honor God in service.