Devotions this week are based on Week 1 of “He Shall Be Called: Wonderful Counselor” (CLICK HERE)
The source matters.
When you seek out advice, the source matters.
If you are having trouble with your computer, you probably wouldn’t call a plumber. But if your ceiling is dripping water, a plumber is the person you call. Thanks to YouTube we can all become “experts” at almost anything…ok not everything.
But what about advice for spiritual matters?
As we looked at before, Isaiah certainly discourages looking toward mediums and spiritists when we should be looking to the only source of wonderful counsel, God himself.
He prophesies of light coming into the darkness:
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. (Isaiah 9:2)
At the beginning of John’s Gospel a fulfillment to this prophesy is announced. Along with what the One who brought light was: The Word.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
If we are looking for “Wonderful Counsel” and the one who is THE Wonderful Counselor, it matches perfectly that this would be Jesus.
Remember, “Wonderful” is the reaction of awe when we notice or experience the presence or working of God. Jesus is God.
“Counsel” is the advice or direction of wisdom that is given. Jesus is the Word of God. He is the one who embodies the wisdom from God. He can speak nothing BUT Wonderful Counsel.
Sure, as John says, we can “not understand it” because we are so consumed with the ways and words of darkness, of sin and the evil it creates. We can be so consumed with our own sinful, selfish nature that we refuse to listen to Jesus’ wonderful counsel or simply can’t hear or understand it because our hearts are hard to it.
I pray that this never occurs in your heart. Rather I pray that the power of God’s Spirit “enlighten” your heart to see the light of truth that Jesus’ words bring to our lives and to realize the extreme blessing that comes when Jesus’ wonderful counsel is put into practice in your life.
The source matters.
Look to Jesus and his wonderful counsel for all aspects of your faith and life.
Apply: What things in your life get in the way of listening to Jesus’ wonderful counsel? How can you make an intentional effort to be in the word of God more to hear the wonderful counsel Jesus gives?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to this earth and embodying the wonderful counsel of God to all of us. Spirit of God, open our hearts and minds to receive and put into practice all the wonderful counsel we receive. AMEN.