“Hi, Mom….Ummmm….is dad there?”
This phone greeting was a regular occurrence during our girls’ college years.
It’s not that I didn’t talk to them. We talked a lot.
We talked about dating, classes, papers, friends and outings. I spent hours on the phone listening to tiny details of who wore what, who went where, and who arrived when.
Yet, when Hannah got her first speeding ticket or Hilary needed a job, they both wanted to talk to their dad.
He was the guy with the answers.
Now when Mark and I left our daughters at university, we prepared them for everything they needed – at that time.
Yet, as the days progressed, situations arose they weren’t prepared for. Thus, the need for the “dad calls”.
In a way, our entire lives – from the point of salvation to the point of seeing Christ face to face – are like being away at college.
He has given us all that we need to live our lives:
- A clean slate with God
- Freedom from stuff that used to trip us up
- Ability to see the unseen
- And a smearing of knowledge
So on the one hand, we are “lacking in nothing” (James 1:4).
But on the other hand, we keep bumping into situations in which we don’t have all that we need. And our biggest lack is in the wisdom department.
“…that you may be…lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom….” (James 1:4b-5a).
It’s almost as if James is saying:
“Here is the goal – that you will lack nothing. But if and when you come upon something that you need knowledge guided by understanding, call your Father. You’ve got His number.”
I’m a mom. But, I really didn’t know what to do about sibling rivalry – so, I made the “Dad call”.
I’m an employee. But, I often don’t know what to do about sticky relationships within the company. So I make the “Dad call”.
I’m a mentor. But, I am not sure if I give the best advice. I’d better make the “Dad call”.
Our Father loves just-in-time training. He awaits ready to teach, when we call ready to listen.
When you search the New Testament for the word wisdom, you’ll find that it’s almost always linked to the idea of prayer.
We may have the mind of Christ within our spirits, but prayer is the prerequisite for spilling His wisdom over into our understanding.
Our Father gives us good reasons to come to Him often. Our most desperate, clueless days usually result in our best prayers.
Where do you need wisdom right now?
.