A willing heart?

 

Last night I finished reading “Born for Battle” a book bought and read years ago but then I was not ready to hear it. Now I hear God telling me what is next — a deeper surrender to His will knowing that those who do this will find themselves in a battle with the liar and enemy who thinks that his best defense is destruction.

Of course I’ve no idea what will happen. I just know that all I’ve read last night and these verses from today are vital to walking in the will of God with a willing heart.

First, I need to seek it. Walking in truth can only happen if I know the truth, the way He wants me to go, and that I am totally willing to do what He says.

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. (Psalm 86:11)

This first chapter of Psalms is well known to me, both in memory and in experience. When I’ve strayed from what it says, I’ve suffered. When God blesses me with His Spirit to obey it, I am blessed and what I do is fruitful and alive:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:1–6)

God keeps His promises. If I follow His will, no matter how strange or difficult it may seem, He uses my obedience to fulfill His purposes. He set that pattern when He became a man. That is, in Jesus I can see His choice to link His purposes to the obedience of His Son, the Son of Man. That link involved the prayer life of Jesus and His willingness to do only what the Father wanted, even when it meant His own death.

Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. (Isaiah 46:9–11)

In my own life, I’ve seen this amazing God use even my mistakes for His purposes… “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) How can I not totally trust a God who can do that?

PRAY: Jesus, You tell me to: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5–6) That I do not doubt. The trouble I am having with doing Your will is realizing I too will learn obedience through suffering… and I am not too keen on that. “Born for Battle” calls what You ask of me: “disciple accepted” and the consequences are scary. Remove my fears and grant me the courage needed to accept whatever You use to transform my life.

God’s path for this New Year

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. (Psalm 86:11)

A new day, a new year begins with the reminder from the psalmist to desire God’s instruction so I can walk in truth — with a solitary motivation of reverence for His name and the desire to put His glory above everything else.

This sobers my thoughts. Normally I am like most people at the beginning of a new year. I want to set goals, do better, lose weight, be more organized, accomplish much, and purge my possessions. God does not slap down those goals; He merely shifts my mind to His perspective. He says I am to listen to Him, not going the way of the world and definitely the way of sinful people, but seeking His counsel in all things . . .

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:1–6)

Why do this? My goals, however profitable they might be or however good they might look on my resume, they are not going to fit into the eternity bin. Only that which comes from the mind and heart of God will last forever. The rest of it blows away like chaff in the wind.

Besides, my decisions and to-do list might be good for some things, but I’ve little guarantee that I’ll get them done. Yesterday was filled with plans and none of them happened. God had other ideas. If I want the work of my hands and the plans I make to last, they need to be His plans. He says:

“Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose’ . . . . I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.” (Isaiah 46:9–11)

His way, His counsel, is designed for His realm — eternity. My ‘stuff’ is about here and now, mostly the foreseeable future, not the rest of time and on into forever. This is why God bids me to be taught by Him, to walk in His truth, to have a heart united to glorify Him.

Jesus, teach me to trust in You with all my heart, and not lean on my own understanding. This year, set my heart so that in all my ways I will acknowledge You — because only then will You make straight my paths. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

Amen.