Friday, October 25, 2002
June 4, 1944 was a beautiful, starlit night. The commanders of the Allied troops were gathered with General Dwight Eisenhower at Southwick House, their English command post. The issue was when to launch the D-Day invasion that could - and ultimately did - turn the tide of World War II. Colonel Page, the chief Army meteorologist, told them, in contradiction to the weather that they could see, that gale force winds and high tides would be assaulting the Normandy beaches by morning. Should General Eisenhower believe what he saw - or the man who had the whole picture? Ike said "no go" that night - even though his decision would cost the Allied forces the invasion window that was their first choice and it would prolong the wait for 180,000 troops, stuck on their ships, ready to move.
The next day was stormy as predicted. But this time, Colonel Page predicted improved weather the next day with moderate wind and tides and lifting haze. Again, General Eisenhower had to choose between what he could see and the authority he trusted. The general paused for nearly a minute and then he said, "Let's go." The room was clear in seconds. The rest is history.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "When The Wrong Thing Feels Right."
Trust your feelings and what you can see - or trust the One who's got the big picture. That's the kind of choice that you, as a follower of Jesus Christ, face over and over again. Because your feelings often lie to you and what you can see is so limited, it can lead you the wrong way. You probably know that from experience - too much experience.
So God's Word spells out the choice for us in thousands of life-choices. It's in our word for today from the Word of God - some of the most-quoted, best-loved words in the Bible. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." There's the choice - go with your own understanding or go with what God says. That's the difference between decisions you'll regret and "no regrets" choices. It's the difference between choices that will stand the test of maybe a year, or still be going strong 20 years from now.
Right now you may very well be facing a choice between the way it looks and feels and what God says about it. You feel like quitting on your commitment - God says "you will reap a harvest if you don't give up." (Galatians 6:9) You feel like God must have rejected you after what you've done - but He says, "There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) You feel like you've got to do something out of God's will to meet that need you have - and God says, "Wait patiently for the Lord" (Psalm 37:7) and "My God shall supply all your need." (Philippians 4:19) You're trying to justify that relationship with someone who doesn't belong to Jesus - and God says, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers." (2 Corinthians 6:12)
Maybe you feel like getting even, or going for the money, or compromising to get ahead, or giving in sexually. But you know what your Lord has said. You can interpret the Bible through your feelings and try to make it fit what you want - or you can interpret your feelings through the Bible and make a decision with no scars, no guilt, and no regrets.
Many days are "D-Days" for us - when we have to choose between what we can see and feel and what our God says. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart ... do not lean on your own understanding." When God says "no go," you don't go. When God says "go," you go.