Musing – What is God’s will for my life?

Hebraic Musing – What is God’s will for my life?

A favorite teasing statement I’ve enjoyed proposing over the years – “I know how you can have anything you want, anything your heart desires! … Know how?”  Obviously this catches people’s attention. The answer I then give is “Have the mind of Christ”.

I was not aware that Judaism has a similar oral tradition that says “Align your will with My Will, in order that I will align My Will to your will” (Ethics of our Fathers 2:4). In other words, when we want what God wants, then God wants what we want. When we dedicate our lives to doing God’s work and His will, we become partners with Him. We play for the same team, and who wouldn’t want the Master of the Universe as their teammate?  I think God wants us to have the desires of our hearts, just as parents want their children to grow up doing what they enjoy doing; and are good at, and that ‘pays the bills’.

The reaction from many Christians seems to be that they must drop everything and wait for the Lord to tell them what to do. My suggestion is that the Lord can and will bless us as we fulfill the desires of our heart (as long as it is a respectable activity; not to drive a Budweiser truck for example). In other words, we do not have to quit our day jobs to serve Him as preacher, teacher, scholar, evangelist, etc.  We can be fully committed to God’s will and still be a doctor, a business owner, a teacher, mechanic, father or mother. We teach and we minister by example as we live out our daily lives affecting the lives of others around us. I spent many years traveling around the world ministering in diverse businesses, board rooms and shop floors as a consultant or member of management. And I enjoyed many ministry opportunities that Pastors never get to experience.

I can relate to Ezra.  "For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel." Ezra 7:10. What is fascinating is the way the king of Babylon supplied all that Ezra needed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. The world around us provides what we need to minister the gospel wherever we find ourselves planted.

Point to ponder

How can you bloom where you are planted?

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                                             November 6, 2012