His Image for His Purpose
We were created in His image for His purposes. I wonder at times if we think His purposes are not in our best interests? If we choose to follow our preferences instead of living in obedience we will out on His incredible plan for our lives. Every day we must choose one or the other. In Matthew 26:36-42 we read a powerful account of this practical struggle. When a person INTENTIONALLY commits to doing the Lord’s bidding, then every situation and decision is sifted through the standard of “God said it, so I am going to do it and in faith believe that it is also best for me.” We may complain, weep, argue…but in the end we must be obedient, no matter what!
We have all been faced with those promptings from the Lord to do this or that, go here or there, and often we fuss and complain and carry on…but we know that there are few things more unpleasant than living with the nagging anxiety that we missed out on God’s best for us because we traded it for a temporal preference.
The Lord certainly understands our need to question, cry out, and petition Him for strength to do what He asks. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that we have a high priest who can sympathize with us. Jesus wasn’t excited or happy about the cross. This passage affirms that He grieved over the coming separation from His Father. It was not His preference to experience death on a cross. Nevertheless, He was committed to following God’s will (Matthew 26:39). No one took Christ’s life from Him; He laid it down in obedience to the plan of God (John 10:18).
Obedience is often hard, but the struggle and sacrifice are worth it. There is joy and peace for the believer who honors God by following His principle of obedience. Denying the preferences that keep us from following His perfect plan for our lives frees us to live out that perfect plan He intends for each of us.
Consider this day…is there a preference…some form of Idolatry that is preventing you from living in total surrender to His will? Just as Jesus prompted His disciples to watch and pray, His Holy Spirit is prompting you to live INTENTIONALLY for Him.
