Monday Musings ... on Wednesday

It has been a hectic few days. We discovered a lot of water in our basement on Friday. Evidently a main drain tile that goes right by our home clogged and then broke. With all the rain we have had recently the ground was saturated and had to go somewhere, it was literally coming up through the floor in a few places. Our neighbor got it worse than we did. Spent several hours on Friday and Saturday getting the water out, getting any loose rugs out and then shopvaccing it out of the carpet and pad in the other areas. One of our young moms from church and our small group helped us for quite a while on Friday. By Sunday it was obvious that the carpet and pad were ruined. So on Monday 3 guys helped me move everything, then get the carpet up and out and then all of the padding. It was then obvious that all the carpet tack strips were ruined as well as all of the baseboard wooden trim. So I kind of forgot to post my Monday Musings on Monday.

Sunday was a good day, in spite of our basement issues. Began a Christmas series of messages on the names of Jesus. Took part in a special tree lighting service in our town sponsored by Hospice. It is to honor and remember loved ones who have died. Our small group met at the church since the kids couldn't play in the basement and the smell wasn't the greatest from all the water.

Worship went well even though the band was missing a guitar and bass. Attendance was good in spite of many, many people being out with illness. The series is focusing on Isaiah 9:6 and Luke 1 and 2. Looking mainly, but not exclusively, at the names given in Isaiah 9:6. This week we looked at "Wonderful Counselor". The Hebrew word translated wonderful comes from a word meaning miraculous. I love that picture of Jesus as our "miraculous counselor". Isn't that cool? One author said that the Bible gives 256 names to the Lord. I haven't gone through and counted to fact check that stat, but I know the names are given to represent His different roles. In the iconic Christmas movie, "A Wonderful Life" Clarence (George Bailey's guardian angel) says to George: "Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives and when he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" No life has impacted our world as much as Jesus has. What is missing if He is not in your life? Who is this Wonderful Counselor?

The Wonderful Counselor is the one who guides. He guides through the Word. We often miss this guidance because we don't read the Bible and therefore don't know his guidance. He guides through the Holy Spirit. He guides by the example of how he lived when he walked the earth. The Wonderful Counselor is the one who cares. I mean really cares. This care results in compassion. A feeling that impacts not just the emotions but one's actions. He cares and feels what you go through. The Wonderful Counselor is the one who understands. He listens, he knows and he understands what you are going through. Being understood is a powerful thing. The Wonderful Counselor is the one who intercedes. Look at Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:26 and Isaiah 53:12. He stands in your place, as he did on the cross. He stands between you and temptation. He goes before you. He translates what you try to say into what you mean as you pray. The Wonderful Counselor is the one to follow.

Not having the Wonderful Counselor in your life would leave "an awful hole" wouldn't it? Are you trying to fulfill the Wonderful Counselor's roles yourself? How is that working for you? How as the Wonderful Counselor impacted your life? Are you sharing the Wonderful Counselor with those around you so they are impacted by him as well?