A Wonder of a Counselor

You’ve no doubt heard the adage, “It’s lonely at the top.” The heads of state, and of armies, and of corporations know that the higher up you go on the “ladder” of success, the more difficult and unpopular the decisions that have to be made. The pay may be better but the hours are long and the headaches and heartaches are much more frequent – and friends can be few and far between. This is when the help of honest, trustworthy advisers is indispensable. To succeed, every leader must listen to and value counsel from others who share the load and have insight into what others are thinking and going through.

King Solomon, as wise as he was, knew the importance of surrounding himself with honest, trustworthy advisers. Listen to his words from the Proverbs:

            “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.” (11:14)

            “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (15:22)

            “For waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.”  (24:6)

The only exception to this in all of history was Jesus. True He kept Himself to a small band of followers. He appointed 12 of them to a special task and designated them as apostles (Luke 6:13). And from those He selected 3 as a special inner circle of companionship (Peter, James, and John). But notice; He didn’t seek their counsel or advice on matters. He taught them; He trained them; He commissioned and sent them out to teach. They in turn sought His counsel, and asked Him questions, and required His instruction and advice.

The same goes for His disciples even today. His instruction is our authority. His commission is our purpose. His example is our model of thinking and behavior. We go to Him in prayer for counsel. We need His advice on how to appropriately approach life situations. We need His constant guidance in order to succeed in life.

This is what God through the prophet Isaiah meant when describing the character of Messiah:

“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 phrase “Wonderful Counselor” could be translated, “Wonder-Counselor” or “A Wonder of a Counselor”; so wise and awesome are His thoughts and ways. They are a wonder to behold, think through, and their application to life is so perfect. He needs no counsel. In fact, all those seeking truth and advice are invited to come to Him for an endless supply of guidance that far exceeds human comprehension and imagination (Matthew 11:28-30; Ephesians 3:20).

Isn’t it awesome (wonderful) that the children of God have direct access to such a marvelous Counselor? And He’s living right inside of us! Everything you need for life and godliness, just for the asking. Take advantage of this glorious blessing and seek and live within His advice. The more you do, the better you will know His true nature and the more you will trust Him to control your life. Your fears and stresses will be farther away, and the way to Heaven will be clearer.

So take His wonderful advice; “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). He desperately desires to advise and counsel you in the right paths. For they lead back to Him where He wants you to be.

Doug