If The Lord Wills

James 4

There is a time when nearly every believer has a thought, I am going to do this because this is what God has shown me that He wants me to do? That is, is this God's will for my life? And for some the events throughout their lives more than demonstrate that God was in what they saw way back a long time before as being "God's will" for their life. Then there's one preacher I remember hearing tell about in Bible college of often hearing other students tell of going to their mailbox and getting a note telling how God had laid it on someone's heart to pay on their school bill. But for him he said there was not one stinking time in all his years in college that he ever received a note saying that anyone had put anything on his bill. God doesn't work the exact same way in each believer’s life or for each believer to show them what He has for them to do for a long range of time ahead.

The journey God has been with me on seems to be that "Jesus led me all the way", but never showing me what the long range plan was going to be ever. Where I thought He was taking me and where I ended up where two very different things, many times more than just once. At least Abram in the record of Genesis began and continued with no anticipation about where God was leading him. To go where I thought was God's will was for my life I studied and graduated with an electronics engineering technology Bachelor's degree. Then I attended Bible college where it even appeared my class advisors had any clue let alone interest in where I thought God's will was taking me. From time to time I really had the feeling like I had in high school and my first college, that I really didn't fit in, into the "normal" outlook for an electronics engineering student, or a pastoral studies major. Then just short of graduating from Bible college my health crashed, nearly died from something the medical doctors had no clue what was going on. It was a first time for that, but definitely not the only time over the last nearly forty years. Then after believing it to be "God's will" with definite direction I moved my family of six over seven hundred miles away only to have all of what I thought and what it seemed that God wanted me to hope for totally taken from me. God's will?

In James 4 we are reminded that our lives are but a vapor that appears for a short time, then vanishes away. Of the person who says they are going into a distant city and claim they are going to buy and sell and get gain, well, that type of boasting isn't wise. We are admonished to say, "If the Lord wills I will do this or that". And for me at this time it is worthy of great reflection. How important one Proverb has made a difference in what I would like and knowing the reality can be very different.

[9] The heart of man purposeth his way: but the Lord doth direct his steps.

Proverbs 16:9 GNV

Oh to recognize that we may claim "God's will" and miss it altogether. That is of great similarity with the Jewish leaders claiming to know all of Scripture there was, even memorized most of it, at least the first five books, therefore they thought that only they were qualified to determine who the Messiah was and what He would be like, LIKE THEM! Even the disciples got in on a similar thought when some told a man not to be casting out demons in the name of Jesus.

[38] Then John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils by thy Name, which followeth not us, and we forbade him, because he followeth us not. [39] But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man that can do a miracle by my Name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

Mark 9:38-39 GNV

Both of these backgrounds set up discussions of major opinions of local, regional, national, and world views of "leaders" who want us to trust their judgment, take their word as authoritative, especially against another who is presenting the gospel in yet a different way than they believe is appropriate.

So far there seems to be some contradiction, or at best confusion as in Exodus 22 we are warned against speaking against a leader, and in I Timorhy to obey them that have the rule over you. Still just before Paul tells Timothy from the very beginning of his letter not to let some teach any other doctrine.

Paul was not offended when he had spoken mightily in Berea that Luke records how the Bereans searched the Scriptures to know whether what Paul had spoken of was so. Every preacher of righteousness has desire that their hearers will seek God's Word to know the veracity of what they have said. In this current discussion it comes back to a question of knowing God's will and for each to have the confidence to be able to rest in trusting God for my day, for my work, trusting the outcome to be found in the simple statement, “if the Lord wills”.

There is more to consider about the will of God because certainly there will be pressure from others, good people. So my meditations will pick up where I have left off at this time.