The First Stop To Making Your Best Decisions
Matt came home in the 4:00 hour, which means we had to catch him up on our Hallmark movie plot.
“You’re not going to believe this,” I said to him, “But this girl has gone to a country that ends in “-ovia” and has fallen in love with a prince who is about to be crowned king, except she doesn’t know he’s a prince!”
He feigned shock and said, “No. Way.”
“Way,” I said.
As a writer, I’ve thought a lot about the brilliance of the Hallmark writers, who just get us. We want the good-looking guy to have eyes for the girl, but if you can make him a somebody, like a soon-to-be-king, then you amp up the romance factor by a kajillion. She gets him? He wants her? Sigh.
Let me wrap that plot line around this familiar proverb:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10a NIV)
In our Year of Decision-Making, as I have officially titled it, Matt and I wanted wisdom. Of course we wanted wisdom. We wanted to know absolutely that we were making the smartest, best choices possible.
That wisdom started by digesting that Jesus really is a king.
Every time I watch the “He’s a prince and he loves you” theme, I think, “This is my real life. This actually has happened to me.” For the movies, we have to suspend reality in order to accept the story, but when we open the Bible it is for real. I can hardly breathe just thinking about it. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. I know this because the kids at church and I just memorized that truth from Hebrews 1:3.
No really. The Jesus who loves you is royalty.
We independent and entitled Americans, who have grown up in a democracy, need help in our minds. We need the stories of kings exercising rule over a people, so that we can understand what it’s like to reside in the kingdom of the Lord.
Before making a decision, any decision, picture Jesus sitting on his throne. His love for you, his power, his privilege all available to you 24/7. Think of how wonderful he is. Consider the resources he has available to him. Bend at the waist to acknowledge his majesty. Tremble at his control and might. Be still at the weight his words carry. Fear him.
In our Year of Decision-Making, I spent a growing and seemingly inordinate amount of time worshiping the Lord and a decreasing amount of time actually thinking through the decisions. I would bend my knees and praise the King and then put my care in his hands.
People who are in the inner circle of a king don’t worry about stuff, you know.
What I’m suggesting is that you immerse yourself in the kingdom story of the Bible. Make sure you go to church and sing songs of worship to the king. Try memorizing Isaiah 9:6-7, which is a prophecy about the Jesus’ kingship. This is your first stop to gaining the wisdom you need, to make the very best decisions in your life.
The Lord is working on my decision making too. And I loved the encouragement to worship more and think less: “I spent a growing and seemingly inordinate amount of time worshiping the Lord and a decreasing amount of time actually thinking through the decisions.”
Love. This.
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all the rest will be added onto you. The pagans run after providing for their basic needs of life, and God knows that we need certain things to live. But He wants us to seek HIM first – a demonstration that since we will be putting our first efforts toward worshiping Him, we will also need to be trusting Him to meet our needs!
You know God’s trying to teach you something when you start hearing the same Godly truth in multiple places. Thank you, Christy, for being one of His faithful spokespersons!
Oh, Christy, I think you have expressed what I have also been realizing: We do not really understand what it means to serve the King of Kings. It may certainly be related to our “democracy” thinking, but it boils down to wanting to be in control, being my own god. But you are SO right…We need to get our heads around the idea of Majesty, Lordship, Kingship, who God really is, the Triune God who created all things, even me, Who loves me but is also to be feared/revered.
Been looking forward to this all week and it was worth the wait. Oh to be in that inner circle….I’m working on it.
Have you received the gift of God’s salvation, by believing that Jesus is the Son of God? If so, then YOU ARE IN THE INNER CIRCLE around God’s throne. His kingdom resources are at your disposal for every decision you will ever face. (I will never stopped being amazed that he offers us such a close relationship with him.)
Oh yes, I have received His sweet gift of salvation, I just need to be closer and closer to the King…to stop all the worrying nonsense and such!
I hear you! Me too. It seems to be along process for me.