Pastor’s Note
I am pretty sure it’s not God’s will that I write the opening pastoral note to this issue of Branches devoted to God’s will. I mean, it’s too complicated a subject to cover in a short note. Besides, it’s topics like that which make me glad I’m not the senior pastor – I’m totally fine that Mike has to do all the heavy lifting and gets all the emails. It’s good for his sanctification! But since it’s my turn in the rotation, it must be God’s will. So here it goes…
My wife Sherrie and I have been faced with decisions for which there was no clear direction found in Scripture. Many times we have found ourselves uncertain, confused, and apprehensive, as we have needed to take some action on a matter. Action like whether to leave my career to attend seminary, or trying to figure what to do the time in seminary when rent was due and we only had $28 in our account.
Although Scripture didn’t specifically address our concerns (I looked all through Scripture for the passage that says, “Bill, go to seminary�? to no avail), time and again we have encouraged each other with a somewhat obscure passage of Scripture found in 2 Chronicles 20:12. In this chapter Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, is leading the people in prayer before going out to engage the latest in a seemingly endless list of invading armies. In the prayer Jehoshaphat recalls God’s faithfulness in the past, recaps the current difficult situation and then wonders out loud in the first half of verse 12 something like, “God, aren’t You going to fix this situation, and You do know that we are vastly out manned and out powered, right?�? And then he closes the prayer with the words that we continue to point each other to as we face new and seemingly endless challenging and difficult decisions:
“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.�?
It has been in those times of uncertainty, confusion, and apprehension that we have learned that it is better to know God than to know what to do. In fact we have come to be convinced that it is totally alright that we are uncertain what God is up to in our lives because it brings us to the place where we finally stop striving and look to Him through prayer, worship and the Word. And when we do, we realize that God’s will for us is and always will be to depend on Him and His power now.
Not sure what to do? Look to Jesus. There you will find peace, calm and courage to trust the Sovereign LORD who does know what to do. Disagree with that? Send all your emails to Mike – it’s good for his sanctification!