Abandoned To The Will Of God

A true follower of Jesus will be concerned with knowing and following the will of God. I believe God has plans and He chooses to involve us in those plans. As we walk with Him it is imperative that we discover His plans and join Him in them. 

Every plan of God does not have a happy ending. History is filled with the stories of and the ground is stained with the blood of martyrs. Many have suffered mightily for doing the will of God. This is clearly evident if you read the entire 11th chapter of Hebrews. 

Now here is the truth. You and I are to live abandoned to the will of God no matter where it leads or what it costs. To live abandoned means to live uninhibited and unrestrained. It means not resisting or holding back. It means giving yourself fully to our Father's sovereign plan. 

What if you do not know the plan? What if you have asked and sought but the plan has not been revealed to you? You abandon yourself to God by making yourself available to do whatever He  calls you to do. That might mean getting stretched. It might include leaving your comfort zone. It might even involve leaving family and friends in obedience to God's will. That plan might include severe testing and trials along the way. It might even include some sorrows. 

Abraham knew some of these as he submitted to following God to an unknown place. [Heb 11:8] Paul certainly experienced these things especially as he followed God's will back to Jerusalem knowing chains and afflictions awaited him. 

He responded saying he did not count his life as dear to himself. [Acts 20:24] He committed himself to following the course laid out for him to testify about God's grace. Paul was arrested.  Down the road he was transported to several other places and eventually Rome. He did testify about Jesus. Eventually he was martyred. 

While we concern ourselves with who we should marry, what career we should pursue, where we should live, and worship God is more concerned with our complete abandonment and availability to Him on all fronts. He wants us abounded as children, teenagers, young adults, middle aged, and as senior adults. He wants all of us for all of our days. Like a coach one said I can also hear Jesus saying, "All I want is all you got."

Can you say today you are abandoned to the will of God? Do you really want to follow Him? As I type this I cannot think of a time I felt more abandoned to the will of God and yet less sure where God is taking me. All I know to do is live abandoned day in and day out. This past week that meant leading a group of students at Faith Community through a Disciple Now weekend. In a week I will preach a revival meeting at Spring Creek Baptist Church in Weatherford, TX and then after that make a trip to preach at FBC Alpine in west Texas. Who knows but Him all the things that will happen along the way. He alone knows where and how He will lead any of us six months from now, a year, or even a decade. 

Suddenly doors have opened for me to travel and preach all over Texas. Just before I sat down to write this I received another invitation to preach a revival meeting in east Texas. What does it all mean. I have not had this many invitations to travel in preach in years. Many think I should do that full time. I have served Faith Community Church for five and a half years. It is the longest place I ever served in one place.  After all our labors the church is still small and the finances are unstable. The spirit is sweet and the people love one another. We have seen the recent addition of a few families. What does it mean?

It means I must trust in God. It means I live abandoned to Him and what He wants. My plans are irrelevant. My desires for comfort and  security are not a clear indication I am walking out His will. All that matters is that I hear from Him and follow Him just as you are to do. 

So I find myself in the place of abandonment. Not my will but His will be done. Not your will but His will be obeyed. Whether HIs will means to stay or go we must be abounded. If He commands us to wait or to take action we must be abandoned. Whether He calls us to plant deep roots or to uproot we must obey. N matter if He chooses to lead us into abundance or to seasons of sacrifice we must follow with a whole heart. 

After five decades on planet earth one thing I can say with certainty. I don't always know what God wills or where He will lead next. It has made life adventurous. I have also discovered God is faithful. I cling to that truth as I seek to be abandoned to His will.