… according to the will of our God and Father,
Summary: When we look at something extremely large and complicated, it is difficult to grasp the full measure of what it is. God’s will is like that. Take, for example, the universe. We know a lot about the night sky, but compared to what there is to know, we are about as knowledgeable as a two-year-old in a modern car factory.
Let’s review:
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father …”
What is the will of God the Father?
Isn’t he the one who sent his Son, his ONLY Son to earth to die? Is this the same God who wiped out all life on the planet except for Noah and a boatload of selected survivors? Isn’t this the God who sent his chosen people into the desert for forty years? Didn’t he then send them into exile and allow other nations to rule over them after that? Is this the same God who allows pain and suffering even today?
Well, yes. All those things are true, but that is not a complete picture.
Life — it turns out — is complicated, and so is understanding God’s will.
This is the God who created a perfect world and then placed a beautiful garden in the center of that world for his children, Adam and Eve, to live. This is the God who gave them everything they needed while they were there.
This is also the God who held back his hand from destroying them when they rebelled against him and disobeyed. This is the God who clothed them and provided for them even though he could not let them stay in the Garden after they rebelled. This is the God who didn’t destroy all of mankind when almost every single person was so corrupt as to be unredeemable. This is the God who befriended Abraham and remained faithful to his promise to him throughout all history.
And yes, this is the God who sent his Son, Jesus, to die for us. Not in a vain attempt to patch this planet together but in a well-planned rescue mission to save all who believe in him.
It was a mission that succeeded, but only at great cost.
So, what is the will of our God and Father? His Son, Jesus, summed it up this way:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
In a word, love!
Application: Judge less, love more.
Food for Thought: What are some ways we can show our love to God, our Father?
There are many ways. But I’ll mention two. Obedience is one way to show love (John 14: 15, 21, 23). Another way is through worship (Revelation 5: 9 – 14).
John 14:15
15 “If you love me, keep my commands.
John 14:21
21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
John 14:23
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
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Thank you, brother!
Obedience is such a simple concept, yet we find it so hard to do. My prayer is for all believers to take these verses you have shared to heart.
Having faith in God is one way of showing love toward God. More than just believing in Him, but believing that He is who He is, and that we can bring anything before Him.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Thanks Chris!
Faith and obedience are related.
As Rich points out, Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands.”
If we have faith that Jesus is who he says he is, and if we love him, then we will keep his commands.
If we don’t have faith, we don’t keep his commands.
(It’s questionable whether someone can love somebody if they don’t have faith that they exist or are who they say they are.)
I am with Rich and Chris!
12-09-2023, What are some ways we can show our love to God, our Father?
Deuteronomy 6:5: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
Two events have had an enormous effect on my life.
God convicted me of my sins and provided the power to serve Him in the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ. His conviction and call into His service placed me in an intensive Bible study ( in its 46th year now ) and physically separated me from life dedicated to sin in this world. He opened my eyes to the reality of this world around me, provided the power to submit to His Holy Spirit as He ministered through me to all those He brought into my sphere of influence. This experience of submission and being used by God has become the priority of my life.
Many years passed and God revealed His Sovereignty as He took my only son to be with Him. Angry, I went to our Lord for clarity and simply would not accept any response. In the end, He asked me if He was Sovereign in my life. I responded, yes. The Lord then ended our conversation as He asked me if He was Sovereign Full time or Part time. There was only one answer, and today I live in His full time Sovereign will knowing not a sparrow falls, not a flower blooms, not a son is taken unless it is the will of God.
I now live knowing, every experience I have, is within Gods will, has been approved for His purposes, as I am called to remain alert for His call no matter what it might be.
I seek to show my love for God by getting closer to Him though study and learning to trust His will over mine.
Ron,
Those are two BIG milestones in your life! You have shared both before but I appreciate being reminded of your story. The theme I am hearing in your words is “Trust.” Even when things don’t go our way, or maybe especially when they don’t go our way, we need to trust Jesus, just like he trusted his Father in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Thank you!
Yes, God is Sovereign, beyond our understanding. We will find peace in ALL circumstances as we live trusting His will in all things. Life becomes far more pleasant as we allow God to always be God .
Blessings,
Ron
Amen! 🙂