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The unfolding of your words gives light; it
gives understanding to the simple.
—Psalm 119:130
As we look back over the course of
human history, it’s striking how universal the quest is to find direction for
our lives.
Horoscopes and the zodiac calendar
have been around since the sixth century BC as methods of divination.
According to some estimates,
Americans spend about $300 million a year on psychic hotlines.
Around one million Magic 8 balls
are sold each year.
These attempts at seeking guidance
range from pure nonsense to practices God has specifically commanded his people
not to dabble in. But their very existence indicates two truths about human
nature: (1) we want someone wiser than we are to show us the way and (2) we
want the quick answer, the shortcut.
In ancient Israel, when God gave
instructions for the Tabernacle, he told Aaron, the priest, to keep something
called the Urim and the Thummim close to him when he wore his priestly
garments. We don’t know exactly what these items looked like, but some scholars
believe they were similar to dice, designed to cast lots. In any case, they
were used to help people determine the will of God: “Put the
Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart
whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron
will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his
heart before the Lord”
(Exodus 28:30).
At the time, the people didn’t
have the full revelation of Scripture, and they hadn’t been given the Holy
Spirit yet. So they needed some way to receive communication from God, to get
direction from him. And while at some level it may sound enticing to have
something as black and white as a pair of dice to direct our course of action, I
have to believe we would soon tire of such a method for seeking wisdom.
If you’ve ever disciplined a
child, you know that the form of discipline must change depending on the age
and cognitive ability of the child. If your baby reaches for an electrical outlet,
that’s not the time to get into a lengthy lecture about the dangers of
electrical currents. When your child is young, there may be times when it’s
sufficient to forbid him or her from doing something simply because you’re the
parent and that’s the rule.
But as your children mature, they
need to hear your rationale for saying yes or no; they need to see you modeling
wisdom for them so they can eventually make wise decisions themselves. This is
a time-consuming process, but it also comes with a blessing. As you discuss the
whys behind the rules, you start to build a more intimate relationship with
them.
Our heavenly Father could easily
just tell us one-word answers when we need to know what to do. But he didn’t
make us robots—he teaches us how to think. So instead of programming us to make
certain decisions, he reveals himself to us through his Word and the Holy
Spirit. Being the good Dad he is, he shows us the way of wisdom so we will grow
and mature. And in doing so, he provides a way for us to deepen our
relationship with him. Instead of coming to him as if he were a spiritual
vending machine, we stay continually connected to him. Our need for
understanding reminds us how dependent we are on him for our every move—and
that’s something we will never outgrow.
We have a God who shows us the
way. That’s infinitely better than a God who simply says, “Yes,” “No,” or
“Outcome not so good.”
Why do you think we tend to want quick fixes and easy answers from God?
In what ways has God been a good parent to you?
—Stephanie Rische
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