The Perfect Answer...

I’ve mentioned before how our new pup has taken quite a liking to Piper.  It seems like he just can’t let her start her day without a multitude of licks!  Each morning when I get Piper up I will position her transport chair between the beds so that it is an easy move for her.  And since there are only a couple of feet between the beds, it fits rather snugly in the tight space.  But, that doesn’t faze Fiver.  He simply jumps over the chair and then bounds up to Piper as I help her up into a seated position on the edge of the bed.  Then he proceeds to lick her hands… and usually sneaks a few tongue swipes on her face as well!

This morning was extra endearing as he stood up on his hind feet and rested his front paws on her lap, which just about put them at a face to face level!  Remember our “little” puppy weighs about 60 lbs now and has gigantic white paws!  But it never seems to bother Piper as she normally looks intently at Fiver and smiles… even when he attempts to sit on her lap in the evening when we are watching TV!  It is almost as if he is trying to tell her that he will always be there for her and that all is okay.

That thought reminds me of Jesus’ words to His disciples when He declared: “And as for myself, I will ask the Father, and another Comforter of the same kind as I am, He will give to you in order that He might be with you forever…” (John 14:16-18 Kenneth S. Wuest, The New Testament – An Expanded Translation)  The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary explains that: “The Spirit is here promised as (the) One who would supply Christ’s own place in His absence.”

Think about that for a moment.  Christians have the presence, wisdom, insight and discernment of Jesus Christ living in them in the form of God’s Holy Spirit!  2 Timothy 4:2 tells us to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (KJV)  So not only are we given the command to be ready to share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ at any time, in any situation and for any need… we are given the One who represents Jesus on the earth today to guide us with just the right words of comfort, exhortation and love.

With that in mind, I have a difficult time when I see Christians who seem to put aside God’s Word and His wisdom and share advice from within their own intellect.  I’ve got to the point that when this happens I can’t help but pause and think: “really?”  It makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time!  The rest of the scripture that I mentioned above continues by stating: “the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive (for) it does not see Him with discernment and does not know Him experientially.  But you know Him experientially…”  Once again the word translated “know” speaks of a very intimate knowledge like that of a husband and wife who have a very intimate relationship with each other.

Therefore, I can understand when people out there in the world who are not saved cannot see the validity and truth of God’s Word, or the moral ways He desires us to live, and of the consequences of disobedience and sin.  They have no discernment into spiritual things because they just don’t know Him.

On the other hand… Born Again, Spirit filled Christians should have no excuse!  Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to be our guide, our helper, our strengthener and our advocate to the very throne room of God!  Why not take advantage of this direct connection to Papa God?  All it takes is some dedicated commitment to His Word and in prayer.  Then when fear comes against us and tries to get us to make rash and many times inconsiderate decisions, we’ll have that little check that will stop us and allow us the opportunity to check in with the great Counselor, the Spirit of Truth, and get God’s perfect answer to our need… every time!

Hummm… makes sense to me!  What do you think?  Have a great week, and as you do, keep asking yourself… “Whose wisdom and discernment am I expecting to depend on today?”