What is God's Will?

At the start of each year, my husband and I sketch out annual goals, and the anchor verse that has been rising to the top for me is John 15:5: " I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." Throughout my life, I have found myself asking and being asked, what is God's will in X, Y or Z? Can you relate? It is a good question to ask, because believers desire to glorify the Lord with their lives, in response to the Father's love in sending His Son for us. But I confess, I can get so fixated on what is uncertain and my action, I lose sight of the big picture. This month we hope to encourage you as you rest and walk in the finished work of Christ.

In two recent conversations with young adult students, we discussed ambitions and what should I do with...? Oh how I remember my college days drawing to a close and the anxiety over choosing "the right path" from what seemed like a million. Between 2006 and 2012, I moved 13 times (+ 4 times since I have been married). And I have had over 10 employers and a few enterprises on the side, during my 16-year professional career. This has proven to be a source of much stress, especially because I was not born again until 2012. It is good to plan, and it is good to work toward that end. But we must do so with open hands to and eyes on the Lord. Do we trust the One who has the perfect plan in place and will bring it to pass, even if it differs from our own? What has been helpful for me is taking a step back and looking at the big picture.

The Bible is one story about God's plan of redemption. And my little story, fits into this bigger story. The most profound event on my journey is that the Lord has brought me from death to life, and now I live as a daughter of God, a wife, a parent, a neighbor, a friend and an administrator, to name a few. What path has the Lord carved out for you to walk as His ambassador in? How is your heart attitude with His selection(s)? Are you being faithful where you are with what has been provided practically and asked plainly of you in scripture (i.e. confessing and repenting of your sin, forgiving those who trespass against you, asking others to forgive you for sins you have committed against them, bearing one another, serving/praying for one another, encouraging one another day after day, etc.)? 

For the perfect example, we look to Christ. He left His heavenly home of perfection and utter bliss to save the unworthy, lost and rebelling. The heart of God is to restore a people to Himself to be with them. It took work. It took planning. It took time. This is a work none of us can do - thankfully, He neither asks nor requires us to! This brings us back to the word abide from John 15. This word in the Greek, meno, is mentioned 10 times in this chapter. It means to remain, not depart from and to hold continually. Throughout the Old Testament, Yaweh told Israel that He would physically dwell with His people. Because of Christ, this will be a reality for Jews and Gentiles. But we do not have to wait until heaven to be in His presence. After Jesus ascended, He sent the Holy Spirit who dwells within His people. 

Abiding is believing, resting, meditating and thinking on the finished work of Christ in all places at all times. While it is simple to understand, it is not easy to do. I pray the Holy Spirit would quicken our awareness to know by experience that, we ARE ever before Him (not only when we are in church or doing church-y things). There is no labor we can do to grow (or lose) God's favor or approval - we already have it! This takes so much pressure off of me, and I hope it does for you, too. Even our "wrong decisions" bend to His plan for good - wow! The quicker we can mindfully get to and stay before the cross (abide), we will bear much fruit, wherever He has us, bringing glory to His name. This is His will for us. So let us get preaching to ourselves and those around us. Jesus says, "...I have been glorified in them" (John 17:4, 10b), because of the work He began, continues to sustain and will bring to full completion. 

Praise Reports:

1. Husband and the other men from bible training went to Arizona for a three day church leadership tour (see picture below from hike);
2. Husband and I continue ongoing discipleship; 
3. I began my job with UCR, and I think my boss is a believer; 
4. Jacob's school schedule was changed, allowing him to continue attending men's bible study on Tuesday evenings; and
5. Zachary's seasonal job has turned into a permanent one.

Prayer Requests (the Lord's will in all):

1. Husband is working on his 60-page thesis for his last semester of bible training;
2. A new place to live in Riverside;
3. Wisdom, endurance & to walk in the Spirit, with ongoing health challenges, daily dealings with sin and adjusting to new work schedule (Avi);
4. Witnessing and discipleship opportunities; and
5. Jacob & Zachary to bear consistent/genuine fruit of salvation.