Willing To Do God's Will

 "I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will." - Acts 13:22

This was the Apostle Paul recounting the relational path to the Messiah while speaking in a Synagogue with Israelites and Gentiles who worshipped God. I thought it interesting that he referenced David being a man after God's own heart but added the caveat that David's will was to do the will of the Father. Does that remind you of anything?

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me [Jesus]; yet not my will, but yours be done." - Luke 22:42

That's right, it was Jesus - the Messiah. Saying the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree is not a reference to the fruit in the Garden, but the fact that David and Jesus shared the same commitment. 

So, to my point. Not only are we to love God with our whole hearts, but we are to submit to the will of the Father. He is to be our primary devotion not our will. Like Jesus, we may want to see something happen in our lives, but we must be willing to yield to the will of God. For Jesus, that meant going to the cross. That was the reason God sent Jesus to the Earth to begin with. Jesus knew that. Even talked about it with the disciples. 

"Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!" - Matthew 20:17-19

It is one thing to talk about what will or may happen and what we are ready to do. It is quite another to be facing it - staring in the mouth of the lion. To walk by faith in such times requires spiritual preparation. That is so much more than mere mental acknowledgement of what God has said. We can sit at our kitchen table in the early morning reading our Bible or in the pew on Sunday listening to a sermon and nod our heads in agreement that what we read or hear is Truth. It is quite another to have our faith put to the test.

I am thinking about my old friend - Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

It's our understanding - our old nature that strives to dominate our doing. Like my friend who asked me, "Are you crazy?" when I told him that Martie and I were going to Haiti after leaving Mississippi. Why would anyone intentionally put themselves in harm's way? As I told him - "It's not my idea, it's God's!" 

That is not on the same level as Jesus' struggle, but it is the same issue. The question is, will you submit to the will of God when it is contrary to what you would choose on your own? The proof will be in what you do, not what you say you will do. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone