You must surely have noticed in these last few days there seems to be a battle (if that is not too strong a word) between our Prime Minister and the local government of Manchester regarding how to deal with the COVID-19 virus.
It would seem both are in a position but looking from the outside they are completely different in personalities and how they want to see this situation come to an end.
One would think we would all want to be in the same boat pulling in the same direction to reach the same goal.
It reminds me of two kings in the Bible. Both had the same position but their personalities were extremely different.
John Maxwell sums it up like this…….
- Both received COUNSEL from godly men.
- Both faced great CHALLENGES.
- Both had the CHOICE to change and grow.
Both of these two kings outcomes are extremely different. If you read the account of their lives you will understand what I mean. They both received godly counsel and both men started off wanting to lead their people in the right direction with the counsel they had received. In fact, we are told God’s spirit rested on them and I can think of no greater gift than this.
Sadly counsel was and is never enough because you have to make a choice on what to do with the counsel given.
Sandwiched between this counsel and choices is of course challenges which ultimately determine the choices we make.
The first king was called Saul and he chose to become insecure because he heard women singing a song which praised him but praised someone greater. That led him to become so insecure in himself that the very person who they’ve been singing was greater than Saul would become his number one enemy to the extent that he would seek to murder him and go to every length possible to do so.
The choices he made led him completely to the opposite to the godly counsel which he had received to such an extent that at the end of his life he sought mediums to answer the solutions of the challenges that he faced.
The other king in the same position was a man called David, He was the man Saul was wanting to kill. David too faced challenges and had to make choices and was given the opportunity to kill his enemy Saul but David refused to do so because he knew that was not the right choice. David chose to give to his challenges and choices to God.
Even when David made a huge mistake, we can see his heart as he wrote Psalm 51 and pleads with God not to take that spirit (Counsel) away from him that I talked about earlier.
Today, as we look back at this situation in Manchester which seems to be going on and on and on my challenge to you today, is we have a choice and I suggest the choice that we take is like David let us seek counsel from the one I believe can overcome every challenge in every situation and gives us the right choice.
Let me leave you with a famous verse but nevertheless a true one. It is found in proverbs. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct thy paths. . Isn’t that just great counsel for the challenges that we face. God has said that he will direct our paths into making the right choices.
So let us pray for our country that we will pull together, see this through together, having the same aim together that is to get rid of this virus and to get back to life as normal as possible.
I truly do believe the challenges that we face will largely depend upon the choices that we make and for me, my choice is to pray to God Will you join me to pray for all those in positions making choices for our lives today.
Stay safe and blessed.