Jeremiah 33:3 – Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. (NIV)

Occasionally, my husband and I argue over a matter that neither of us knows enough about, like our current roofing issue. Wrestling over such matters is a silly waste of energy and a needless source of strain. These are times to simply call on the expert. Praise God for the experts!

I got thinking about that after today's trip to the hardware store. I wasn't planning to ask questions, but since they didn't look busy, I thought that I'd take the plunge and ask about roofing. After that, I left walking on air, or so it felt. A load of concern was lifted. I learned a lot. But also, I had a contact name in my pocket, and now we simply needed to call this telephone number and have the expert come. He'll discover the source of the leak, along with anything else about our roof that needs attention. He'll make sure that we have a reliable roof over our heads. End of argument.

It's no different with God. Arguments are far too common among God's people, because too few think of asking Him. As a result, we waste time and energy, at great expense to everyone's peace and well-being. Meanwhile, it's so simple to check with the Expert, God Himself! "Ask!" He says to His people, over and over again. "Ask and it will be given to you." (Matthew 7:7a NIV) "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:14 NIV)

It's obvious that God doesn't expect us to wing it through life without His help! Yet we cherish our sense of independence and autonomy. We like to feel that we can manage. It's a lie that we tell ourselves. Or rather, it's the ancient lie that the serpent told Eve in the garden: "Ye shall be as gods" (Genesis 3:5 KJV). You'll manage! Go for it! And so, tainted with this deception, we strive in the confusion of our self-created muddles. We correct each other with our measly "expertise", and then find ourselves at odds. There's no joy in that, and rightfully so!

Meanwhile, our Lord pleads with us, "Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete" (John 16:24b NIV). Ask the Expert of all experts, and you will be freed from the heaviness of your concerns, lightened up, like you're walking on air. That's what He's saying. But we'll never know that joy as long as we are determined to handle things our own usual way. We may even have been living with a problem so long that it seems normal to us now, and we've never considered seeking God about it.

Do you have a troublesome issue that won't go away? Maybe you can't bear it any longer. Well, praise God! Here's a golden opportunity to strengthen the skill of listening to God, experiencing His guidance, and finding a new joy as you wait on Him. Trust Him to be the Expert. Trust Him to help you with your specific issue, and be ready for the unexpected. "Call to me," He pleads, "and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

Prayer: Lord, give us courage to admit our need for Your help, and the faith to boldly ask for it. Through it all, train us to be good listeners. Amen.

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About the author:

Diane Eaton <dianeeaton6@gmail.com>
Paisley, Ontario, Canada
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