WATCHWORD:
I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power. Philippians 4:13
“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. Daniel 2:44
Meditation:
Will of God?
We read about the will of God and we hear it referred to in many a worship service and sermon. We may struggle to discern the will of God and decisions that we have to make. In our prayers we may close with, your Will be done.
What does the will of God mean? We hear a lot about that, we frequently pray that we follow the will of God, what, in your everyday life, does that mean. Can you define it in practical terms?
In the morning when we thank the Lord for the day that he has created and we rejoice and are glad in it, and pray that through the day we will follow your will. Do we know what that Will is and are we following? How would we know? Can we honestly say that our actions reflect the Will of God?
So, your day begins, and somewhere in the midst of those hours you are confronted with a decision, something you must say or do, or refrain from doing, but you are not sure which is the right way to go. Do you ask yourself some basic questions? Do we give that decision to our Lord? Guide my thinking, Lord, so that what I say and do is pleasing to you.
We can say that the will of God is following the lessons that Jesus taught, and I suspect we would not be far off the mark. We could recognize the Holy Spirit, which believers in Christ possess, and follow its nudgings. Now that makes sense, to me.
Daniel 2:44 tells us that God’s will is the advancement of his kingdom and the salvation of his children through Jesus Christ. Bottom line is this: Stop thinking of God’s will for our lives as a separate plan from his will for his kingdom. They are one and the same.
Think of it this way, God has a plan for you and me. It is a personal plan based on His love for us. Isn’t that comforting? You don’t have to come up with some remarkable life event, you only need to spend time with him, listen and be open when he speaks. Easy, peasy, right? So, listen carefully to what your Holy Spirit is telling you. So be it.
Quotable Quotes:
“I am still God’s child. My life is more than this life. These days are a vapor, a passing breeze. This will eventually pass. God will make something good out of this. I will work hard, stay faithful, and trust him no matter what.” — Max Lucado
“It is important for God to arrange our circumstances in such a way that we eventually have to face ourselves.” — Joyce Meyer
Closing Prayer:
Father, we pray that You will help us to grow in discernment. Lead us on the path of wisdom and guard us from making foolish decisions. Help us to think clearly and to weigh correctly. Give us the humility that seeks and hears the wise counsel of others. Help us to be vigorous in ruling out what You forbid and ruling in what You command. Father, we thank You that our Savior knows the intensity of our struggle when Your will conflicts with our desires. Give us strength to believe Your promises, embrace Your commands, and bear the burdens You call us to carry. We pray that You will help us to do Your revealed will fully, gladly, and immediately. It’s in the name of Jesus, our Lord, that we we offer these prayers. Amen.
