Wonderful Counselor

Kelli Baker

Advent Series 2023

Day Two

Think about what you are waiting on. Would you say you are waiting with expectant hope or are you anxiously waiting?

This month as we wait expectantly for the celebration of Jesus’ birthday on Christmas morning, I would like us to focus on him as Isaiah prophesied his coming in Isaiah 9:6.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Each week we will focus on a different characteristic of Jesus as we slow down and look to him. In week one, we will be discovering Jesus as The Wonderful Counselor.

History of Counseling

All throughout God’s Word we read about the importance of counseling. In the Old Testament we see time and time again the wicked counsel of men on earth. Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, took the advice of the wrong counselors in 1 King 12. He decided to dismiss the counsel of the wise elder and side with the wicked ways of his peers.

While I do believe that God enables some to be good counselors, ultimately, the Wonderful Counselor is Jesus. He is the one from where all wisdom, direction, and instruction should come. He is the only one who sees and knows our hearts. He knows our desires and our gifts, but he also knows our weaknesses and struggles.

Jeremiah 32:19, “great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Need for Counseling

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a counselor is someone who gives advice. A synonym for “counselor” is “advisor.” We are still in need of good counsel today. How often do you encounter daily concerns that you would welcome advice? What about when you get to a new duty station? You should have a sponsor who guides you through in-processing and may show you around the new city.

In the military, it is normal to get monthly or quarterly evaluations that serve as a guide or advice for your success. When I served in the Army, I would counsel my Soldiers monthly. The initial counseling would serve as a guide or a standard which I expected my Soldiers to obtain. Then preceding counselings would gauge their performance so they would know where they were excelling and where they could do some more work.

Examples of Biblical Counseling

The idea of counseling has earned a negative reputation in today’s world. We think something is wrong if we need to see a professional. However, seeking counsel is wise and it’s biblical. Israelite kings employed the advice of counselors. King David relied on the counsel of Ahithophel in 2 Samuel 16. As we explored earlier, King Rehoboam listened to the wrong counsel. Nonetheless, God places women and men in our lives to offer sound advice and counsel when we need it.

None compare to Jesus though.

Over the next few days we will explore how Jesus fulfills the role of Wonderful Counselor in our lives today. For now, ask yourself if you bring your cares and concerns to him as your Counselor. Ask God to reveal to you where you fail to rely on him to care for your soul and instead rely on the advice of others.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for sending Jesus to the earth to become like us so he can be the Wonderful Counselor we need who relates with us and empathizes with our needs. Give us courage to lay our burdens and cares at His feet. Amen.