The Will of God

In three different devotional book readings today something came up about the will of God in each of them. We spend so much time concerning ourselves with God's will. While driving yesterday I heard Charles Stanley talk about how he pounded into his kids to pray that God would reveal his will to them from an early age. All of this has set my mind to considering the matter of God's will.

God's will is a grand topic to meditate. We would have to consider God's general will for everybody. This would be his will for his children to live in holiness [I Pet 1:15-16], to live by faith [Heb 11:6], and to be led by his word [Ps 119:105] Then we would have to consider God's specific will for individuals. God willed Abraham to relocate. [Gen 12:1-3] God willed Jeremiah to be a prophet. [Jer 1:5-10] God willed Paul to suffer and to take the gospel both Jews and Gentiles. [Acts 9:15-16] Next, consideration would have to be given to God's perfect will and his permissive will.

Considering the matter of God's will is not a simple matter. It is a complex issue on one level. If a person makes a choice to alter their life from God's perfect will can they ever get back on the track of God's perfect will. Pretty deep stuff. Yet on the other level, the matter of God's will is a very simple issue. This is what I believe was true for Noah, Abraham, Jeremiah, Paul, as well as other Christ followers down through the ages. When God was or is ready to reveal his will in a matter he takes the initiative to do so. Let me illustrate.

When God prepared to move me to serve in Seminole, TX he used two scriptures over and over again. [Gen 12:1-3] and [Heb 11:8] By faith, Abraham, when he was called obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out not knowing where he was going. 

I had preached a youth event at FBC Seminole and they began to pursue me to become their next their pastor. At the time I was very content where I was serving and was not looking to move. Over the next five months God began to deal with me. I had dreams about Seminole. Then I began to notice the pattern of [Gen 12:1-3] and [Heb 11:8] showing up in my quiet times and in books I would read. The clincher came when I went to preach at a camp and [Heb 11:8] was the theme verse for the week. God had my attention.

We interviewed with FBC Seminole but neither Brenda nor I were absolutely convinced our moving to Seminole was God's will. The search committee asked for a second interview. I got up early to pray the morning of that interview. I had just about talked myself out of the fact that relocating was God's will. It seemed like a huge gamble. As I read scripture that morning I will never forget that encounter with God. I read through the book of Obadiah that morning without getting any clear word from the Lord. I turned the page in my Bible from page 1109 to page 1110. Page 1110 begins the book of Jonah. As I read the first chapter of Jonah I knew in my heart I was beginning to think like Jonah. I knew if I did not go to Seminole it would turn out badly for my family and the church I served at the time. I settled the matter of God's will that morning.

I could have been reading any number of books that morning in the Bible. For years my Bible reading plan has been to start in Genesis and read all the way through to Revelation and then to start over again. I do it at my own pace. I do not follow a prescribed schedule. Only a sovereign God could have orchestrated my reading Jonah on that specific morning. I have seen similar things happen in my Bible reading repeatedly over the years. It was not coincidence that I just so happened to read the book Jonah the morning of that second interview. God took the initiative to reveal his plans and the consequences if I chose not to obey him.

So this morning I am somewhat intrigued that the subject of God's will has come up so many times over the past couple of days. I am not certain what this means but I am content in knowing that if and when God wants to reveal a matter to me he will do so. The best place he has done this in my life over the years has been reading and studying his word. I can look back on several important mileposts and scriptures God used to reveal his next steps for me.

I believe this is true for all Christ followers. If we stay in his word he will take the initiative to reveal his will for us. [Ps 119:105] Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. I have a friend that brings this verse up often when we get together. He equates the lamp and light as something akin to a lantern held while walking through a dark forest at night. The light from the lantern illumines the path for only the next few steps in front of you. All I have to do is keep reading and meditating on the scriptures and trust if and when God has a special message to reveal to me he will do so.

Until then, I have enough light to show me my next few steps. That includes preaching tonight for students at Fairfield Baptist Church in Cypress, TX. This weekend, Lord willing,  I will preach to them at their winter camp. Next week my next steps are to return home and minister back home.

We often want God to reveal the big picture. Singles are consumed with God's will about who they will marry and what profession they will pursue. Others want to see God's will ten and twenty years down the road. Today I am content in seeking God and his will for today. It seems to me God operates on a need to know basis.

This attitude relieves all the stress of finding, discovering, and discerning God's will. How many of you today are stressed out seeking, knocking, and asking for God's will. Just keep walking in his word and when God is ready to reveal your next steps he is perfectly willing and able to do so.

I read this quote this morning and thought it fitting to conclude. It is a simple prayer. "Lord, teach me to do your will." That's it. We read scripture, we pray, we wait, and when God reveals his will we obey. If we keep these things in mind God's will is not so complex after all.