We also pray for God's will; His almighty, omnipotent (unlimited power or authority), pre-destined plan in our circumstances. "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." - - from The Lord's Prayer that so many of us knew word for word before we even had a clue as to what it all meant. Some of us still may not know what we're praying, there, because it's become so wrote it's like singing the ABC's.
God's will... what is God's will? What does the Lord of all creation want for us, His created? How do you put such a lofty thought into words? OK... so I'm not equipped for such a high call... I'm going to throw it back at God. Here are a few verses about what God wants for us:
The Lord promises to Abram: "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing." Genesis 12:2
In a letter, from the prophet Jeremiah, to the surviving elders, priests, prophets and people in exile from Jerusalem ~ "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Jesus tells us in John 10:10 ~ "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
From the disciple whom Jesus loved ~ "And this is what he promised us - even eternal life." 1 John 2:25
So... God wants good things for us; greatness, hope, future, life to the full, and ultimately eternal life. We hear and sing: God is good all the time. God is love. Jesus loves me, this I know... Is there a hitch, a catch, a condition? Yes, the same condition that we have for our own children... obedience and love. If our children are disobedient do we turn our backs on them? I sure hope not. What do we do then? We discipline. So does God.
"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." Deuteronomy 7:9
"Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews12:10-11
In this next verse of thanks Hezekiah, a king of Judah, is calling for his assembly to bring offerings to the Lord as they return to Solomon's temple which had been destroyed after his (Solomon's) death. A lot has taken place since our last verse in chapter 5 of 2nd Chronicles. Over 200 years and ten kings have made their ungodly marks on history. You see, Solomon, who had been so favored by God for doing good and following His ways, lost his way. He, as so many, got wrapped up in the lavishness of the world and sinned against God. God warned him directly to stay clear of the women from foreign lands that "will surely turn your hearts after their gods." (1Kings 11:2b) Solomon took a combined 1,000 wives of royal birth and concubines (a woman that belonged to a man but did not have the same rights as a wife). If you're going to mess up, mess up big, Solomon! As he grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods and he was no longer fully devoted to the Lord his God. God got mad. Discipline followed. David's kingdom was divided and Jerusalem, the city of David, was a mess... for a long, long time.
"Then Hezekiah said, 'You have now dedicated yourselves to the Lord. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the temple of the Lord.' So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings." 2 Chronicles 29:31
After studying this verse, the lesson that keeps cropping up is the last part about willing hearts. So as I pray for God's will and His blessings in my life, and the lives of those I love, the question is: Am I willing to do my part and obey God and love Him back? My immediate response to this question is: Of course! But when I really, really think about it... do I always follow His commands? Do I always do what is right - even if it doesn't directly benefit me personally?
Say I was supposed to volunteer at the food shelf and my best friend invited me to a "once in a lifetime" chance to see one of our favorite speakers or singers. Do I follow through and volunteer? Or do I blow it off, knowing that there will be more than enough help to fill the needs at the food shelf? How about this one... a missionary comes to speak at your church. They ask for a freewill offering for support of their ministry. Because you're in church (and it's the right thing to do), you send up a quick prayer to God if you should support them with some cash that you know you have in your wallet. You feel the tug in your heart... but then you remember that you have to pick up milk, bread and eggs on the way home. So you keep the $20 bill in your wallet because it would just be easier to pay cash for those necessities. See where I'm going with this? I'm really good at re-directing my thoughts to make them line up with my own ideas. To make the scenario more comfortable and justify my agenda. Certainly these responses occur when I don't remember to ask for God's guidance. But they happen just the same when I do seek His divine intervention in my life.
God wants to bless me. He also wants me to love Him and obey Him. My heart is willing, my flesh is weak. But God has the power to make me strong and do what is right. I just need to be a better follower and not try so hard to be the leader all the time. That's hard for me. But I want to try.
I am so very thankful that the Lord is patient with me and He never gives up on me. I'm glad that He knows my heart better than I do and He, Himself, is willing to give me another shot when I mess up.
"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b
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