WHO HATH BEEN HIS COUNSELLOR?

Romans 1 to 11 is one of the most complete presentations of the Gospel ever written. Paul reasons through sin, justification, grace, the work of the Spirit and God’s dealings with Israel and the Gentiles. When he reaches the end of this argument, he does not summarise; he worships. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” His theology leads him to doxology.

Then Paul asks two questions: who has known the mind of the Lord, and who has been His counsellor? He is echoing Isaiah 40:13-14, where the prophet asks who has directed the Spirit of the Lord or taught Him. The answer is obvious. God has never needed advice. His wisdom is complete, and His judgments are unsearchable. We are recipients of His counsel, not contributors to it.

This can be uncomfortable when things do not go as we hope. We want explanations, and God does not always give them. Yet the same truth is our comfort. Because God needs no correction, we can trust Him when we can not trace Him. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that His thoughts are not our thoughts, and Deuteronomy 29:29 says that the secret things belong to the Lord, while the things revealed belong to us.

Paul concludes, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever” (Romans 11:36). Today, release the need to understand everything. Where you can not explain, worship. Where you can not trace, trust. The One who holds all wisdom holds you, and His ways, though unsearchable, are always good.