An amazing thing happens to almost every Bible College student somewhere early in their senior year. The understood meaning of the often used phrase, Gods will seems to shift. Up to that point those words are most often used in conjunction with euphemisms like Ring By Spring or the MRS degree (Married and Ready to Serve). After this subtle change, Gods will begins to mean what ministry position a person is to take upon graduation. Im serious. Well, mostly serious. We students knew on one level that Gods will was more than the applications above, but on another, it was hard not to focus on the bride and the billet. The Israelites seemed to know what Gods will was. They had the Torah to spell it out for them. And it didnt leave much room for doubt. Gods will not only covered major issues like how to worship God, atonement for sin, and sexual purity, it also got right down to how to wash your hands, what types of clothes you could wear, and how to get rid of mildew. From work to warfare, from prayer to periods nothing was left in doubt. Running water makes a person clean, therefore it is Gods will that I take a shower every morning. Then again, I think I covered that a couple days ago. But for all this regimentation, Israel seemed to have missed the boat. In their legalistic implementation of Gods law, they seemed to have lost sight of what truly was Gods will. In my experience, a legalistic understanding of Gods will only leads to second guessing myself. If God has given me a talent for preaching but at this place in my life I rarely have the opportunity to do so, does that mean Im sinning by burying my talents? If God has called me to be a vegetarian at this point in time, but Im invited over to a friends house for dinner, shouldnt I eat whatever is put before me? What if its a potluck dinner and I have other options but they want me to try their dish? Does it really matter? But then again isnt God just as concerned about the little things? I think we need to get back to a much simpler understanding of what Gods will is. When asked what the greatest commandment was, he gave two in reply. They are, Love God with everything in you and Love your neighbor as yourself. No matter what the situation or the question, I think the answer to what Gods will is lies in those two commandments. Does what I am going to do demonstrate my love for God? Will this action or decision be an expression of Gods love for others through me? If the answer to both of these is yes, then this is Gods will. You cannot put it more clearly than God did through the prophet Micah, No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
