11 January 2014 - according to his will
We have this confidence in him
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,
we know that what we have asked him for is ours.
We read this and our first instinct is to try to figure out how to make the thing which is actually our will out to be God's will so that we can demand it of him. But that isn't how this works.
He must increase; I must decrease.
We must be like John the Baptist who rejoices at the bridegroom's voice. It isn't all about John and his ministry. When he begins to fade into the background as Jesus becomes more prominent he says, "this joy of mine has been made complete." John's project is nearing completion and he is willing to let it go. We have projects too. Often they are good. But do we insist on the centrality and priority of our plans when they are meant to give way to something larger for the kingdom? Do we pursue a ministry over and beyond the life God intends for it? We have to be on guard that even the good things we do don't become all about us. We will then be flexible when God has other plans. We will be ready to decrease so that he can increase.
“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
When we choose to pursue our own plans our own way we may find that we are trying to dig wells in the desert. Even if the wells once contained water they may be dry now. It may be time to move forward. There simply is not blessing to find apart from that which comes from God.
We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.
Jesus is ready to guide us. He doesn't want us wasting our efforts fruitlessly on our own projects. We "are in the one who is true" and if we are on guard against idols he shows us the plans he has for us. And the plans he has for us are more than we can ask or imagine.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
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