Okey, Dokey

       I first noticed the "okey dokeys" of the Bible when I was studying Genesis. Admittedly, the words okey dokey won't be found in any concordance, but there are situations in which some ordinarily godly individual goes along with a bad idea without running it by God.  The first example is Adam caving in to both the serpent and Eve by eating the forbidden fruit. (Gen.3)  He did not need to run that suggestion by God, he already knew what God thought about it, but Eve looked so cute with forbidden fruit juice running down her chin that, when she offered, he said, "okey dokey". At least, that what his actions said.
     The next okey dokey was when Sarai offered Abram secret service privileges with her handmaid Hagar. (Gen. 16)  Sounds like an ancient soap opera in the making.  What could possibly go wrong?  Millennia of middle east mayhem that's what. 
     Then there are characters like Rehoboam, Solomon's son and heir to the throne, who did seek advice but listened to the wrong people. (1 Kings 12)  The GOP advisers recommended tax cuts, his democratic peers, tax hikes.  What stands out to me in this passage is that Solomon HAD advisers. If the smartest man in the world valued their counsel, it was probably worth listening to.  Rehoboam's orchestrated okey dokey cost him most of the kindgom.  This okey dokey might not count because we are nowhere told Rehoboam was a godly man, but he had access to both God and godly men, as do we.  Beware of those who give you the advice you want to hear.
     Hezekiah was a good king who faltered at the finish line.  (2 Kings 20)  Despite seeing God's miraculous intervention in delivering his kingdom from the Assyrians and being healed from a mortal illness, when Hezekiah found out that because of his sin, his descendants, kingdom and treasures would be carried off to Babylon, he forgot to pray.  In the face of this dreadful prophecy he said, "The word of the Lord you have spoken is good", . . For he thought, "Will there not be peace and safety in my lifetime?"  No prayer of intercession, just okey dokey. 
     I am so grateful the canon of scripture is complete because my okey dokeys will not be recorded for all posterity to read.  It is easy to be so caught up in the demands of daily life that I forget to pray.  I am so entrenched in contemporary culture, I sometimes forget how far it is from how God wants us to live.  I have been guilty of advice shopping until I found some I liked.  I do not want to be guilty of faltering at the finish line, unmindful of those who come after me.  Selfishness is not a privilege of senior saints.  Hold me accountable.  Okey dokey?