The Great Adviser

Who is like the LORD our God,
   the One who sits enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look
   on the heavens and the earth?

 He raises the poor from the dust
   and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes,
   with the princes of his people.
He settles the childless woman in her home
   as a happy mother of children.

Psalm 113:5-9

Dr Phil, Oprah, Dear Abby, mother, father, best friend, self-help books, therapist, pastor. . . There are many sources for advice, encouragement and help in this world, but there is no one like our God!

God is Sovereign   When I need to make a decision, its easy to get caught up in asking for advice from many people.  While it is true that, "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed," (Proverbs 15:22) it doesn't mean my main source of advice should be human. "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps." (Proverbs 16:9)  God is sovereign, and if I want to know the plan He has for my life, I must go to Him!  (Jeremiah 29:11)

God is Omniscient    When I am down, there is nothing that feels better than a bit of encouragement from a friend, or a stranger for that matter.  But when I make God my main source for lifting me up when I feel down, I will never be disappointed.  Job found this out the hard way when he turned to his friends for encouragement in a time of great trial in his life when he lost his family, his wealth and his health.  His friends started out supporting him, but in the end they blamed it all on him, saying that God must be punishing Job for some unconfessed sin.  Not very encouraging!  But when God spoke, He began to put everything in perspective by asking, "Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?"  (Job 38:4)  In the end, God was not pleased with Job's friends for they did not speak the truth about Him.  (Job 42:9) Listen to the message God sent to Balak through Balaam, "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act?  Does he promise and not fulfill?"  (Number 23:19) There is no better source of encouragement than our God who always knows what to say, and will never speak the wrong thing!

God is our Help   I remember driving down the road with my four young daughters some years ago and suddenly feeling the tell-tale "bump" of a flat tire.  The first thing I did was call AAA to come and help me.  How many times do I turn to other sources but never call on God?  "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)  I will never forget the feeling of helplessness when a 6.8 earthquake hit Washington state back in 2001.  As my daughters and I huddled in the hallway for an excruciatingly long 48 seconds, we cried out to God, knowing there was no one else who could help us. There is no one like our God!

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will remember to acknowledge God in all my ways.

Where am I turning to others before seeking counsel from the Lord?

When do I trust in my own resources instead of on the one who owns the cattle on a thousand hills?