Sunday, May 18, 2014
By: Gwen Hitt
Responding to His Will
John 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven not to do My will but to do the will of Him who sent Me."
I want you to imagine yourself basking in the sun on a deserted, beautiful, white sandy beach surrounded by gorgeous blue-green water! Wouldn't this be an idyllic place to be???
For many of us, thoughts of escaping to such a setting would be extremely enticing--especially if our lives are filled with challenges. BUT --- is this the type of existence that we were created for? Are we supposed to only focus on our desires ... to fantasize shutting out the rest of the world?
King Solomon, known for his great wisdom, answers the questions above in Ecclesiastes12:13-14 "Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone's duty".
What does this advice mean for us? I believe that King Solomon was advising us to have a deep reverence for God, to recognize that He is our Father and we are His children, to desire to do His work on Earth in order to spend eternity with Him.
Is doing His will always easy? No, I contend that it is much easier to do things according to OUR will. Even Jesus in Luke 22:42 asked to be relieved of His mission on Earth. He prayed: "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me". However, He quickly showed His complete obedience to His Father - by proclaiming: "Yet, not MY will, but YOURS be done." Jesus demonstrated His trust, obedience, and faith in God through not only His words but also His actions!
I challenge you today to turn to God with that same conviction, faith, and courage in whatever situation you are facing. Take your need to God with the assurance of Romans 8:28 that "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose".
Dear Lord, I thank you for revealing Your will to me in Your Word. Help me to emulate the selflessness of Jesus in fulfilling the purposes that You have for my life. May I be more like Him each and every day.
I thank You Jesus for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life. In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Reflection: Is your life reflective of the plans that He established just for you?
