God's Will is Done

Of late I have been impressed with the ability of God to do exactly what He says He will do.  You can count on it:  when God says "I will" do something, there is no doubt He will do it in His time.  God is powerful enough to fulfil His word in the lives of flawed, weak people as well, like when He told Abraham that Sarah would have a son though they were both past the age of siring and bearing children.  The angel Gabriel said to the virgin Mary in Luke 1:30-31:  "Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS."  Without sleeping with a man, Mary would conceive the Son of God Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Even when what God says is humanly impossible, He will be faithful to do it.

Today I recalled when I first sensed God's call to pastoral ministry.  I never aspired or desired to be a pastor, so it caught my attention when I came to believe I heard God speaking to my heart, "You will preach, and you will be sent."  This thought came out of nowhere during prayer, and over several years it was fulfilled by God's grace.  Though I had never been to seminary or Bible college, in a matter of years I was ordained as a pastor and then went to Australia to preach God's word as pastor of a church.  I could not have imagined my dramatic change of life from working in a trade to being a pastor Down Under.  God said "You will," and because it was first His will it ultimately came to pass in His time.  We do not get far attempting to discern God's will concerning our future to merely satisfy our curiosity, but God is faithful to reveal His will to those who love and trust Him.

In church this morning following the sermon, we sang a song taken from the first part of Psalm 61:1-4 that goes, "Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. ² From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. ³ For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. ⁴ I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah."  What stood out to me is the the confidence David had in God from experience.  The sweet psalmist of Israel had a relationship with the living God who had been a refuge and strong tower who protected him from his enemies.  He could confidently say without boasting, "I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings" (bold emphasis mine) because this was God's will for David and all people.  David could not do this in his own strength, but he recognised God's faithfulness and strength to help him abide and trust in the LORD.

Those who fear God are wise to submit our will to God's will, and we see Jesus the Son of God did this as His hour drew near.  We read in Luke 22:41-43, "And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, ⁴² saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." ⁴³ Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him."  See how Jesus intentionally surrendering His will led to Him receiving strength to do God's will!  This was surely written for our sakes so we might surrender to do God's will as He reveals it to us.  We can be more interested to know what God's will that remains hidden from our eyes rather than do one thing we know He has revealed to be His will which lies in plain sight.