Decisions

Have you ever made a decision and later regretted it? If you never have you stand alone in the small world of the perfected. Often a decision that proves to have been the wrong one leads to not just regret, but remorse.

To minimize doing so, there is a simple rule. It is this, resolve to make decisions on the basis of two factors: one, is the knowledge available at the time of the decision, and the other is unmitigated love.

Consider this scenario. On a timeline the decision is made at point “A.” It is made on the basis of the information available at point “A.” And in light of love.

Some time later at point “B” more information is available and the love is still strong.

It is unfair to yourself to judge a decision made at point “A” in light of the fuller knowledge available at point “B.” Accept your point “A” decision as one made at that time based on the knowledge available and your undiminished love you had at the time.

In Psalm 15 King David asks and answers a question regarding who is pleasing to the Lord. Among the qualifications is the person “who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind….” (Psalm 15: 4)

This relates to the person who made a decision at point “A” and was not later swayed by conditions at point “B” to change it even if it costs him or her.

The matter of decision making is not primarily about the decision, but you. It reveals your character and stability. 

Never make a major decision when fatigue, hungry, angry, or distracted. 

Conditions are requiring faster and faster decisions. For those important decisions, take time to meditate on God’s wisdom before making a possible error in judgment.

Focus on one major decision at a time. Research reveals that performance suffers by up to 40% when we focus on two cognitive tasks at the same time! In Luke 10:41, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.”

A prayer worth offering before making a decision is, “Dear Father, I am making this decision in light of the insight I have and based on my love for you and others. If it is wrong, it is because of my ignorance, not my obstinance. If it is wrong please forgive me. If it is right, please bless it.” 

A commendable way to approach all of life, but especially in decision making is, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Prov. 3: 5, 6)

Keep your understanding of points “A” and “B” in mind. They are basic.

When Loss Is Experienced

God takes no pleasure in our sorrow and grief,… BUT He will take part in them. Since it is inevitable that we will experience difficulty, it is expedient to know how best to deal with it. The following is not only applicable in times of sorrow, it is pertinent in times of trying to solve all of our challenges.

Calling us to come out of the cave of self-bewilderment Jesus said: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

The Greek word for comfort is the word “parakaleo.” It’s formed from two words: para, which means “close or near,” and kaleo, which means “to call, invite, invoke, or beseech.” Thus, mourning, or any form of sorrow, is an invitation to come closer to God. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4: 8) This enables healing to be found amid hurting.

Pay special attention to the relationship. We are to draw near to Him. That is contrary to the way many respond when hurting most. There is a tendency to become more introverted and often accuse and blame God. Don’t retreat from Him, instead draw near to Him. He is awaiting your response.

“Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.” (Isaiah 30: 18)

It is not so much that God gives us sorrow to draw us near to Him, but that in life it happens often and God wants to use it to comfort us.

Amid the turbulence in the storms of your life listen and you will hear His invitation, “parakaleo.”

SORROW HELPS US IDENTIFY WITH JESUS
At the tomb of Lazarus it is said, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). If He wept, and He did, we should not expect not to weep.

Jesus enquired where they had laid the body of Lazarus, saying, “’Where have you laid him?” They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept” (11:33-35).

SORROW HELPS US RELATE TO OTHERS WHO ARE SUFFERING
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” I Corinthians 1: 3, 4 

Sorrow in our own problems helps us relate to others in theirs.

For followers of Jesus their sorrow is an opportunity to witness His faithfulness by their example of dependence and the comfort they receive. People are watching.

At a time of great tribulation in Jerusalem the Lord said, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people…” (Isaiah 40: 1) The same call goes out to today’s hurting world.

Your Own Spiritual GPS

The young First Century church sprouted in the fertile soil of hope, grew in glory, and produced with power. Now, consider how that hope, glory, and power relates to you. Unfortunately many have lost hope today. There is a basic explanation as to why. 

Nearing the end of World War II the allied forces chased the German Nazi forces out of France. As the Nazis retreated, they changed road signs to confuse the allies. For example, at a crossroad if a town was to the right they would change the sign to indicate it was to the left. At great expense the allies soon learned the road signs couldn’t be trusted.

The forces of our enemy, that is the devil, have changed spiritual road signs in our world. As a result of following these wrong directions, many have lost hope. “There is a way that seems right to a man, But the end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14: 12). This truth is so important it is repeated in Prov. 16: 25.

Charles Darwin was a deceptive sign-changer. Writing in the late 19th Century he changed the sign giving direction to our origin. He was not an originator. The French philosophers and English utilitarians have paved the way. He simply couched the idea of evolution in scientific language and thereby has misled millions.

Karl Marx was a deceptive sign-changer. He took the evolutionary concept from the realm of animal origins and applied the same principle to social development. Thus, professing Communism to be the superior form of government, he set in motion class wars which today rage all over the world.

Sigmund Freud applied Darwin’s concepts to the world or morality. He changed the sign to indicate meaning and fulfillment is to be found in uninhibited sexual expression and experimentation, giving birth to the “New Morality.” Freud claimed “man’s animal nature is ineradicable” and justified what the Bible declares to be sexual immorality. This has resulted in pre and extra marital sex, the dissolution of families, and rampant abortion. 

Today proponents of CRT have changed the road sign of brotherly love and in doing so have race, against race using the tactic used by Karl Marx to divide Russia and overthrow the government. CRT advocates have changed the language to make it deceptive and divisive of races.

The Lord, knowing society has the ability to misdirect His people, has given us supernatural GPSes. The Bible changes not, therefore establish your road signs of life by its directions. 

The Holy Spirit is a constant directive leading us on the paths of righteousness. He will never lead us to do anything that is not Scriptural. 

“The Lord said to his people: “You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6: 16

Check your spiritual GPS often. Study to show yourself approved…

Divine Reading

Reading the Bible is one thing, meaningful reading is another. In past times meaningful reading was called lectio divina, “divine reading.”

Since ancient times, this spiritual discipline has been compared to the ruminating eating of certain animals. They ruminated, meaning “to chew the cud, to turn over in the mind.”

It takes two things, a text and time. Both are essential. As a starter try this:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 4 – 7)

To do it justice, get alone in a comfortable quiet place and read it. Then go back over it, breaking it down phrase by phrase.  In beginning this practice, give yourself five minutes. Later you will want to learn to devote more time to the practice. Try to arrange it so the time is undisturbed. The length of the passage is unimportant, the depth of thought is very important. Hide His word in your heart.

The purpose of this process is to have a meeting with God, a divine rendezvous. Soon you will grow to realize you have hidden His word in your heart and it is growing to become your first response in life, your instinct. Thus, it is becoming your nature, your behavior. It will enable you to deal with the issues of life in God’s way.

Be patient with yourself. Remolding life takes time… and pays big dividends.

For animals to ruminate they must take bite sizes. The same principle is true in assimilating God’s word.  As you reread it slowly, take a passage apart in your thoughts bit by bit. Pause and reflect on a phrase or word.

Following this practice you will find the word to become mysteriously and purposefully alive. As you “chew” the word you will find yourself musing over such thoughts as: “I didn’t know that.” Or, “That is meaningful.” Or, “WOW!”

As you sit silently ask yourself such questions as: “What am I learning from these words?” Or, “How can I apply this truth?” 

This is to be time just between you and God. Don’t rush to see some commentary or reference source.  Doing that later is very good, but not now.

The purpose in this lectio divina, divine readings is for you to better understand the truth of Hebrews 4: 12, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Chew on that.

Sheltering Wings

“He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”  Psalm 91: 4

Persons often argue about God having feathers. Such a dispute is absurd. Of course the verse is not to instruct us God literally has feathers, God uses a multiplicity of ways to describe His love for and protection of us. He often does it by using a metaphor and this verse is a metaphor representing His care.

“He shall cover you with His feathers,” is a metaphor, God is represented as a bird, sheltering young chicks under its wings. (A metaphor in case it is needed is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance. Humor is often found in non biblical mixed metaphors, such as, Humor is found when people mix their metaphors, as in:
He is trying to get all of his ducks on the same page.
He has a lot of black sheep in his closet.
I’ve got it right on the fork of my tongue.
I looked to see what I could hear.
I listened to see what I could hear.
He was running around like a chicken with a bad haircut.)

In this light the verse noted above is teaching something more amazing than the bogus idea that God has feathers.

The mother eagle, spreading her wings over her eaglets, is a wonderful symbol of the Lord graciously acting in order that we might hide, and have hope, as He hovers over us.

The imagery of a believer being a fledgling chick and the Lord an overpowering eagle affords assurance and comfort. His sharp beak, powerful claws, and strong wings speak of His ability to protect and nurture His chicks.

The text identifies three provisions He, the eagle, provides His people.

First, the pinions, the powerful wings are emblematic of God sheltering His chicks. Regardless of any threat the Eagle is capable of shielding His chick. Reflect on that and be reassured, comforted.

Second, the powerful sheltering wings are an affirmation of what is to come for the chick. The eaglet is a foreshadowing of what the chick itself has in store for itself as a result of the sheltering. The chick too, like the mother bird, will have wings of its own. It was born to be like the mother bird.

Third, “His truth shall be your shield and buckler.” His pledge or promise will be what the shield of the soldier is to him in battle. The word rendered “buckler” comes from the verb “to surround.” It speaks of the Lord surrounding us, protecting us, with His word. Surround yourself by daily applying His word.

As an aside, don’t ever push a metaphor or any form of an illustration too far. They are not exactly at all points alike.

With all this imagery in mind, reflect once more on the text. This time apply to your life the principles intended to teach you and build your confidence.

Then go forth and soar. Make the One who is likened to an eagle proud of you.

“He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”  Psalm 91: 4