The Gift: Wonderful Counselor

The Gift 1

Wonderful Counselor

by Daniel Carandang

written by Kathy Raga

(Listen to the preaching while reading! Click here!)

Christmas is in the air. LITERALLY. It's just a matter of days before the most celebrated holiday of the year comes. However, there is more to Christmas than the gifts and foods. We celebrate Christmas in honor of God's GREATEST GIFT to mankind. Our savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

All of us go through different problems. When we are in doubt or hesitant of what we should do, we seek advices. Words of wisdom like: "It's better to CHEAT than to REPEAT and PAY another unit," and "Wag ka ng mag-aral,babagsak ka rin naman" are absurd yet very common advice. They may provide amusement but the consequences are far from the word FUNNY. It does not only affect us but also those around us. So when we need guidance, we should turn to a trustworthy Source of Wisdom. 

Wait a second, who could that person be? Don't worry, the Bible gives us a hint. It says,

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 

The word "wonderful" in the old language means EXTRAORDINARY,SUPERNATURAL. On the other hand, a counselor is a person who plans. Jesus Christ is a wonderful counselor. The wisest man there is. To back it up:

All this also comes from the Lord Almighty,
    whose plan is wonderful,
    whose wisdom is magnificent.

 Isaiah 28:29 

What does that mean? 

He ALWAYS knows what's BEST . God is the ONLY one who knows what's best for us. In the Bible, it says: "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death," (Proverbs 14:12). We might think that we are knowledgeable. We trust our own judgement but there are times that we are wrong. 

This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
    who teaches you what is best for you,
    who directs you in the way you should go.

Isaiah 48:17 

He understands us COMPLETELY. 

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.

Psalm 139:1-4

God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows us like the back of his hand. 

So what now? 

There are 2 simple things that we should remember: 

1. Seek God's will

There are a lot of choices presented to us. We can get confused because of their sheer number. However, the Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

It's quite sad that there are some misconceptions about God's will:

• "If everything is smooth and there is no obstacle, then it's God's will."  NOT a guarantee. Consider Mary's situation. She faced a complicated situation during her time. Being pregnant without a legal husband may cause her life. 

• "God only reveals His will to spiritual giants." NOT true. As long as you seek His will, He will reveal it to you. There is no difference between a 1-week old and a 1-year old Christian for God. 

• " God's will is boring." God is NOT KJ. His will is not all about suffering. The Bible says so in Romans 12:2.

We can know God's will by asking Him to grant us knowledge. Learning His Word and talking to Him through our prayers can help us to understand His will. 

2. Surrender your will and embrace God's will 

"Knowing the truth and not doing it is foolishness." 

Learning the Word of God is just step 1. We should do what is right. Surrender OUR will and follow GOD's will. 

We sometimes struggle with our faith. We are blinded by the idea that the things we pursue will bring us the happiness we crave. We want to control our lives,to do what we want, to live the way we want. Sometimes, we are misguided. In order to go to the right path, we should find someone whom we can trust. A person who will always be there. A person who's willing to sacrifice His life for us. Our savior, JESUS CHRIST. The GIFT of GOD.