God’s Will – Luke 22:42

Saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

God offers what everyone wants and pours out their lives to achieve – unshakable peace, soul-filling joy, and unconditional love.  Without cost, He exchanges anxiety, fear, lust, pleasure seeking, greed, malice, and emptiness, worthless and destructive slave masters all for these gifts of incalculable value and immeasurable benefit.  He invites us to come near to Him, to leave our concerns with Him rather than worrying ourselves into illness or working ourselves to exhaustion.  He teaches us that if we will set our minds on Him, desiring His will above our own desires, He will establish us in perfect peace.[1]  He leads us in His excellent way, increasing our gladness, rejoicing our hearts,[2] binding us to Him with cords of love that cannot be broken.[3]

He teaches us to put our trust in Him,[4] giving us the testimonies of the saints who, having sought His will, walked by faith, not sight, conquered kingdoms, performed righteous deeds, received the promises of the Lord, and saw the mouths of lions shut.[5]  Did not the young men of ancient Babylon tell the mighty king that even if the God in whom they put their trust should choose not to deliver them from the blazing furnace, they would remain devoted to Him, doing nothing to dishonor Him?  Did not the Father reward their faith by bringing them out of the fire unharmed?[6]

These devoted men of God still went through the fire.  They still found themselves in the unenviable predicament of having to refuse the command of an awesomely powerful monarch and to accept a death sentence for their disobedience.  Though this displeased monarch had them thrown into the flaming furnace, they maintained a serenity known only by those who choose God’s way above their own, to do His will without regard for themselves, to put their faith in God’s loving-kindness and faithfulness, which extends above the stars.[7]

Receive the blessed life God offers to those who, having sought to know His will, abide by it.  Choose to stand in faith, and trust that the Lord’s plan for you is a good plan, a plan to give you a future and a hope.  Rest in the loving arms of the Lord God Almighty, safe and secure, trusting that He will be faithful and kind to you.  Seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and be assured that God will be true to His promises to care for you and to rain down showers of blessings upon you.[8]

Exceedingly excellent is the way of love
Exceedingly beautiful is the Morning Dove
Exceedingly gracious is He who saves
Us from the sins, which He forgave

Exceedingly lovely is He who brings
Good news to those whose hearts find wings
Exceedingly faithful is He who stands
Beside us and in love commands

His light to shine for all to see
How exceedingly loving is the Lord to me

[1] Isaiah 26:12

[2] Isaiah 9:3

[3] Hosea 11:4

[4] Proverbs 22:17-21

[5] Hebrews 11:32-34

[6] Daniel 3:11-26

[7] Psalm 36:5-6

[8] Ezekiel 34:26