2001-04-11 - Thy Will be Done

The Lord's Prayer, Part 6

Matthew 6:9-13 After this manner therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen

I have heard it so many times, "Well, HOW can I know what God's will is? Does He just shout it out of the sky? How can I know?"

Good question. I've been thinking about just that for some time now. How do I know what God's will is for me? He gave us some clues in His Holy Word. There are a lot of things that are His will for everyone.

The very first thing that is His will is that we repent from doing our own thing and turn to Him. He "...is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9b) He loves us so much that He wants to have a relationship with us, but because He is holy, we can't come to Him until our sins have been cleansed from us. How? By the only way that He allows, His Son. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." (John14:6) "...The blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7b)

"Okay, so I did that, HOW can I know God's will for my life?"

Good question! Another clue is given to us in Psalm 40:8 -- "I delight todo Thy will, O my God; yea Thy law is within my heart." Psalm 119:11 -- "Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee."

Reading His Word. As we read the Bible, its living truths plant themselves in us, teaching us, training us, showing us things in ourlives that don't line up with His ways. "Search me, oh God, and know my

heart....see if there be any wicked way in me." Our desire, first andforemost, should be to be like Him. Let Him cleanse us from those sins that stop people from seeing Him reflected out of us.

By reading His word and then obeying it, we can be in step with His will.

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: But those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever,that we may do all the words of this law.

"So, how do I know what God wants me to do with MY life? How do I applyall of this and make it fit into that one design that God created mefor?"

I am SO glad that you asked. What is it that you are happiest doing?Working with children? Painting? Sales? Writing? Teaching? (Okay, videogames do not apply here.<g>) Do it! "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

God requires us to keep ourselves clean before Him. Read His Word. Talk to Him in prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Be thankful for what you have.Be content. Go to church. He will use you if you will make yourself available to do whatever He asks you to do. Willingly and happily.

Just as it is done in Heaven.

Father, thank You so much for giving us Your word to clearly show us Yourself. And for clearly showing us -- us. Our sin, our shortcomings. Ah, but thank You that You are willing to use us if we are willing to be used. Thank You that You made a way for my sin to be forgiven and totally washed away so that You could reveal Yourself through me. ME! I know me, and it amazes me that You are willing to use me. Thank You. Use me, God. Use me to reach people with the truth about You. Amen.

Sandi
sandi@cfdevotionals.org

http://www.cfdevotionals.org