The nature of God's will

GOD'S WILL IS MORE ABOUT US ANSWERING HIS QUESTIONS THAN HIM ANSWERING OURS.

Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in North Africa was not an easy convert to Christianity. His road to Christ was not a short, direct, or easy path. He understood from his mother's raising that to undertake Christianity was to give yourself fully to it, and frankly he loved the world too much.

Eventually, God won out and after coming to Christ became a tremendous theological contributor to Western Christianity. In the Confessions, he chronicled his journey to Jesus and the path that proceeded from his conversion. It was said his worst fears had come true - he had to give himself fully to the will of God if he was to have any relationship with Him at all. His journey reminds us that though "MANY OF US MIGHT ASK TO KNOW GOD'S WILL, VERY FEW OF US ARE READY TO FULLY EMBRACE IT."

"There is a joy which is not given to the ungodly, but to those who love Thee for Thine own sake, whose joy Thou Thyself art. And this is the happy life, to rejoice to Thee, of Thee, for Thee, that is it, and there is no other." Augustine

Isaiah 6:1-8 gives us a pattern and Isaiah is a great role model when we consider God's will for our lives. Isaiah was an eye witness to the throne room of God and the scene he observed rivals anything we can even imagine. He saw God high and lifted up on His throne, and there were heavenly creatures flying around God covering their eyes and proclaiming "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts." At their voices the foundations of the temple shook.

Isaiah immediately confessed his sin, and one of the heavenly creatures grabbed a hot coal and flew straight toward him. He placed the hot coal on Isaiah's mouth and told him his guilt had been taken away and his sin atoned for. Then Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord saying "Who shall I send? And who will go for us?"

God clearly communicated his will through these two questions. You know exactly what God wants. The God who has forgiven you, cleansed you, and removed your guilt has shown you His will. Would you respond as Isaiah did?

He responded with faith. No excuses. No looking back. He knew God's will and was willing to act on it in faith. Notice God didn't tell Isaiah where to go, or what his role would be, or what to say or do once he got there.

Instead of questions, Isaiah responded in faith - "Here am I. Send me."

Once we understand the nature of God's will and that God's desire is for us to respond to Him in faith instead of absolute certainty, we will find ourselves desiring a relationship with God that is lived out through our "intentional" spiritual disciplines.

Then the adventure of discovering and applying God's will for our lives begins.

Pastor Rick