Daily devotional, 21 May 2024 Miss M
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
James 1:5
Miss M was like a “star teacher” back when I was in highschool. Students from the lower levels aspired to be in her advisory class because her students appear to shine above the rest. They always have the class valedictorian, always have the best class performances, and even perform well in extra curricular activities like cheer dances and intramurals. Her past students say she is strict, yet the guidance she provides is much like a stern parent who knows when to reward and when to punish. And that helps them succeed.
Like the best teacher we could ever have, our Heavenly Father is the wisest counsellor we will ever need. His guidance is on point, on time, and is all that we could ever need.
"I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."
Psalm 16:7-8
And while He offers His guidance to everyone, not everyone seeks His counsel. The Israelites for one are a stubborn bunch who let God’s guidance fall on deaf ears. They were given a set of commands so that it would be well for them, but they turned their backs on it, doing what they please.
"The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the LORD pasture them like lambs in a meadow?"
Hosea 4:16
But God, who is so merciful, gives us a chance to repent. And when we stop sinning, He tells us that He can change His mind about the punishment He has in mind for us. and He will bless us with the goodness He has long planned for us.
"Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go. “If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea." Isaiah 48-17-18
And so how do we receive God’s guidance in our lives? How can we be at the receiving end of His pieces of advice?
Well, the first thing to do is to intentionally seek Him. King Solomon, the son of the great King David, asked for nothing else from the Lord but wisdom, and God granted it to Him. He was known to be the wisest person who ever lived:
"So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”
1 Kings 3:11-14
Like King Solomon, we should boldly ask God to grant us wisdom and guide us in our everyday life. We can do this by seeking Him. We must be consistent in spending time with Him by doing quiet time daily. We must follow up our solo prayer time with reading His words and reflecting on them. We reflect by trying to learn more about the context of the passage that we have just read, and thinking what it means to us and how we can apply it in our personal circumstances.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Matthew 6:33
We then keep an open ear for His word by regularly worshipping with other believers. We also study God’s word with them. We also should surround ourselves with people who also seek God, and spend less time with those who are pursuing their worldly ambitions. Moreover, we should be careful in choosing what our minds consume: at the very least we should choose digital content and reading materials that honor God and uphold biblical values.
"Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect"
Romans 12:2
When we understand that the Lord can speak to us and guide us through others, we will appreciate all the more the importance of surrounding ourselves with the right company. As they say, God can talk to us through a godly elder or friend, or through a book, or through a praise song. How can we be available to hear those messages when we are with people with bad morals or we consume media content that contradicts God’s commands?
"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."
James 3:17
As followers of Jesus Christ, one of the first things that we should do upon waking up is to communicate with our God. We worship Him and ask Him what He wants us to do for our day. Since we have surrendered our life to Him, let us put our faith into action by being available to do what He wills us to do.
We may not be judged as successful in the world’s eyes when we follow His counsel to the letter, but truly, we would have the peace and joy of God in our hearts which worldly people could never have.
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."
Matthew 7:24
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 25 and 1 Kings 3:1-15 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you listen to God’s prompting for you? Are your ears open to His words?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father thank you for your tireless offer to give me guidance and counsel. I am sorry for the times I choose not to heed Your words because of my selfishness. I look forward to a lifetime of seeking You and your will for my life. Please allow me to live a life that is pleasing to you. Amen.
