Advice

My kids (who are all grown) and I have a sort of unspoken contest going on and we’ve been at it for several years.  Instead of giving each other serious birthday (or Christmas) cards, or sentimental wishes, we look for the "funniest" card we can find.  The key determining factor for success is that the card will make everyone laugh.  There are also unwritten standards that state the cards must be Rated G, or PG so the children can join in as well. 

Last month for my son-in-law’s birthday I found the perfect card for him.  Since he has a dog and a cat who wrestle and taunt each other daily, this particular card caught my eye.  On the front of the card is a picture of a cat and a dog.  The cat was definitely in charge and was issuing a warning to the dog. The dog was hanging, connected by his backside to the refrigerator.  The smiling cat reminded the dog that he had been told NOT to eat the refrigerator magnets.

Obviously, the dog did not take the cat's advice. 

That’s often the problem with advice.  The warning was “don’t eat”;  the dog ate it anyway and discovered there were consequences. 

Have you experienced advice that you chose to ignore?  Adam and Eve were told “don’t eat” and they ate anyway. The difference is that (unlike the cat) God didn’t tell Adam and Eve not to eat because he was on some kind of power trip.  God knew if they ate of the tree of good and evil, they would be exposed to evil.  Fortunately (unlike the dog in the card), our story doesn’t end there. We were not "hung out to dry".

After the garden incident God still spoke to those who were listening.  God also sent His Son so that we could begin to understand His love.  Then God sent His Spirit so we can talk to God.

Bottom line here is that God loves us and wants us to talk to Him, receive His love, and rely on His free grace. It's totally free and not something you can earn.  In other words, just be yourself with God. God’s greatest desire is to be in fellowship with you.  No strings attached, God wants you to talk to Him, and He wants to talk to you today.  Even if talking to God is a little out of your comfort zone, give it a try. I promise you won't be disappointed. The Spirit is a great counselor who gives sound advice.