Good sense = God's sense

I don't think I am too far from the truth when I admit there are a lot of things in my life which I have done, said, or amassed which really did not exhibit much good sense.  I also don't think I am alone in this admission!  I have many a companion who could admit the same thing in this journey we call life.  Good sense seemed to escape us when we bought that one item in our closets we have only one worn once or twice and which now hangs there gathering dust and becoming lunch for the moths.  Good sense evaded us when we bought into the "As Seen On TV" commercial which lured us into purchasing that gadget which lays useless at the bottom of our junk drawer in the kitchen.  Good sense was far from us the moment we opened that bag of potato chips and thought we could only eat just one!  Yep, we struggle with good sense being our "guide" in life, but if our good sense would just direct us toward one thing and one thing alone, we'd probably come out all right.  That "one thing"?  Let your good sense direct you toward obeying the truth contained in God's Word!

It makes good sense to obey the Law of God, but you disgrace your parents if you make friends with worthless nobodies. If you make money by charging high interest rates, you will lose it all to someone who cares for the poor. God cannot stand the prayers of anyone who disobeys his Law. By leading good people to sin, you dig a pit for yourself, but all who live right will have a bright future. (Proverbs 28:7-10 CEV)

Yep, it makes good sense to turn to the Word of God when we need answers, but we turn to the wisdom of goodness only knows what all we find to "gain wisdom" from!  It makes good sense to live obediently to the principles taught within the pages of the scriptures, but we find all manner of excuses for doing things our own way!  It makes good sense to listen to the wisdom of wise counsel, but we choose our own way because it is easier or quicker than what those who have gone before us on the journey would recommend.  We just aren't so "good" at this "good sense" thing sometimes!  All who live right will have a bright future - the promise which goes with this reminder to use "good sense" to guide us toward obedience to the principles taught in the scriptures. Sometimes we are motivated by the promises - so I put it out there just in case we "need" a reason to be obedient!  Not to say this is actually good sense to "need" a reason for obedience, but just in case!  

Having pointed out how much just relying upon our "good sense" to guide our actions is kind of futile, let me point us in a direction which makes a little more sense to us when "good sense" seems to fly out the window.  "God is Spirit, and those who worship God must be led by the Spirit to worship him according to the truth." (John 4:24 CEV)  If we examine this passage, we find we only really get to the place of being able to do as God asks us to do because we are led by the Spirit of God to worship God "according to the truth".  We need to be led, not because we cannot see the way we should go, but because "good sense" sometimes doesn't lead us well.  We need a divine source to be our guide - not an earthly one!

It always captures my thoughts for just a little while to contemplate just how much we rely upon God for the very basics of what we need to actually "live" as we should.  WE don't even possess the faith to believe in him.  WE don't even possess the wherewithal to choose him as the source of life.  WE don't have the commitment to choose his ways over our own.  WE (that is you and me) don't have what it takes - so God gives us, by means of his grace, all it takes to be led into obedience.  Even the faith to believe is his gift to us - nothing short of grace would do this for a sinful lot of people.  

Since God is Spirit - we have to learn what has been provided for us to actually commune with him.  Left to our own devices, we often look for "truth" where we think it will be rather than where it has already been provided.  Whether it is the creation of "meditation techniques" we think will "get us in touch with our inner man", or belief in some native lore, we find ourselves holding onto some belief that these "things" will provide us with the answers we need in life rather than turning to the source God has provided for our safety and guidance.

Let us keep this in mind the next time we step out - our good sense should ALWAYS be directing us toward obedience to what is already been revealed to us in the Word of God.  If it does not, it is time to take a step back and regroup. We are on rocky ground whenever our good sense is leading us any other path than toward God's revealed will outlined in his Word.  We need to be led to truth by the Spirit of God - not just what "makes sense".  Scripture doesn't say we are guided by what "makes sense", but by our "good sense" given to us and watched over by the Spirit of God himself.  Just sayin!