Not As I Will…

Surrender

Matthew 26:39 – “Not as I will, but as You will.”

Early this morning, I found myself praying for clarity about the relationship between faith, authority, and power and submission to God’s will. This is an area I’ve talked about before, but I continue to have conversations with people who tell me that if I petition God for something that I desire and fail to believe with certainty that request will come to pass, I am demonstrating a lack of faith. But here’s the thing…I know…with complete and total certainty…that God can do any and every single solitary thing that He sets His will to do. I have no doubt about that whatsoever. What I question, though, is whether my request ALIGNS with His will; because if it doesn’t, I know there is a very real possibility that the answer to my petition will be a firm “No” or “Not yet…” And I’m okay with that.

In these moments, I always think about Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, when He prayed, “Not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39) before He was handed over to the chief priests by Judas. He could have called down “12 legions of angels” (Matthew 26:53) to save himself if He so willed it, but He knew that it was more important for His Father’s will to be fulfilled. He desired God’s will above His own, and I believe that is also what is required of us.

I think it’s safe to say that when we’ve received a specific promise, vision, or Word from God, we can be confident that in time, it will come to pass; but when a request comes solely from our flesh, we must be willing to give it to God and accept His decision about whether it aligns with His will. Of course, there are times when we fail to surrender in this way, and God fulfills our requests anyway. We’ve all been there, and it rarely turns out well for us in the long run. In the end, we’re better off if we first seek His will and are willing to hear a “Yes,” a “No,” or a “Not yet.” The answer may not be one that we want to hear, but we can take comfort in knowing that if God closes a door, He does it out of His divine wisdom and His unending love for us.

Thoughts, reactions, or testimonies? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Everlasting Love

Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness.’”

Reflections: It’s that time of year, again! That time when hearts and minds turn to love and the celebration of all the things that make it grand… 🙂 People have a wide variety of opinions about Valentine’s Day—while some look forward to taking part in this time-honored day of romance and gift giving, others see it as a commercialized holiday that simply serves as a boon for the retail industry. Whichever camp you fall into, though, it’s hard to deny that there is something to be said for taking a moment to acknowledge and celebrate LOVE. Whether you’ve enjoyed 50 blissful years of marriage or are still waiting for God to bring your mate into you life, we all have at least one great love in our lives that we can celebrate each and every day…

In one of my favorite Bible verses (Jeremiah 31:3), the Lord tells us, “I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving kindness.” I smile every single time I read this verse, and my heart melts a little. I am loved…with an everlasting love…AND SO ARE YOU! 🙂

No matter who else is in your life–regardless of whether you are giddy in love, recovering from heartbreak, comfortable in a long-lasting relationship, getting to know someone new, or enjoying your singleness–YOU ARE LOVED BY GOD. You are the apple of his eye (Psalm 17:8, Zechariah 2:8). When He created you, He drew every line and curve with loving kindness. He knew you, and LOVED you…flaws and all…before you even knew yourself.

You will never, ever, in your entire lifetime, find another love like that. And that love, my friends, is surely something to celebrate.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY to you all! Know that you are well and truly loved, today and every day!

Shine Bright!

Song: Love Song by Canton Jones

Thoughts or reactions? Leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you!