Sun 9:30a Class; 10:30a Worship; 11:35a Communion
Bible Bites
Making the Big Decisions
MAKING THE BIG DECISIONS
“When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and they brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah.” (Gen 26:34-35)
Esau had a reputation for making bold moves without always thinking them through. Selling his birthright seemed like a good idea at the time, but later, there wasn’t any room for him to change his mind once he’d thought it through (Heb 12:16-17). Snickers didn’t coin the phrase: “Forgive me for the things I said when I was hungry.” I think Esau got the patent on that.
Marriage is a beautiful thing, but marriage to the wrong person (or in Esau’s case, more than one person – yikes!) is a choice that comes with lasting consequences. Rebekah would later beg Isaac to send their other son, Jacob, away, so he wouldn’t hurt her heart the way Esau had (Gen 27:46).
"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.” (Proverbs 8:12)
There are some decisions that are bigger than others (like marriage), and it takes wisdom and prudence to recognize the difference between the big decisions and the small ones. Wisdom is the ability to see the end of a thing at its beginning. Prudence is the ability to show caution in the present in order to preserve the future. Wisdom and prudence are the twin architects to a life without regrets.
If you really want to guarantee success in life, combine wisdom and prudence with one more ingredient – prayer. Prayer is the secret sauce to your future. Wisdom and prudence will help you to consider the factors you can see; prayer will protect you from the factors you cannot.
“Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’" (James 4:14)
James warns us about making plans without consulting God. God sees around the corners of your life where you cannot – no matter how wise you are. When we pray, we ask for Him to use His wisdom to guide our footsteps. Sometimes, He will block paths we think should be opened… only to open doors we never expected. His ways are higher than ours. Paul prayed to have the thorn of sickness removed, and God said, “No” – that thorn led to opportunities for the gospel Paul could never have anticipated.
Three ingredients – wisdom, prudence, and prayer. They will bless your life and the lives of those around you.
