COLOSSIANS 1:9-10 – And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
THEME OF THE DAY: WHAT IS TRULY BEHIND THE WILL OF GOD? When the question of “the will of God” comes up in our lives, whether in a conversation with other believers or in the privacy of our own thoughts as we struggle with decisions in life, what are the predominant things that come to the front? Personally, I find what is really being asked about the will of God in our lives is more directed to the temporal and physical; decisions like jobs, where to live, what to do in life, and a host of other things pertaining to this fleeting world. Now, please, don’t assume I am against such praying. Not at all, but I don’t think that such temporal things are the primary way to approach the will of God. Yes, pray for jobs, pray for decisions, pray for things pertaining to this world, but be careful when doing so for two reasons. First, our hearts are so deceptive (Jeremiah 17:9) that our prayers in temporal things are more asking God to approve our desires or perhaps for Him to give us a “divine okay” to the steps we started by a decision we already made. Secondly, be careful in praying for some direction we call “the will of God” without consistently obeying what He has already given as His revealed will in His Word. So with that introduction, let’s look at the question defining the theme of today’s nugget – “What is truly behind the will of God?”
In today’s scripture, the Apostle Paul is praying for the Colossian believers to be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” In looking at this statement, don’t focus so much on the knowledge of His will, but on the verb “filled” because that is the most important aspect of the will of God in His children. Consider this. What does it mean to be filled? It means there is no room for anything else. The cup is full, so to speak. The prayer of Paul might be explained as “I want you to be so filled with the knowledge of God’s will that you have no room for any of your will.” This is critical. We cannot come to God and say, “Lord, Your will be done” and when it starts to unfold, and is contrary to our will, we justify ignoring His and obey ours. Don’t underestimate the power of our desires for the things in this world. If we want truly to know and do God’s will, then we must be thoroughly emptied of ours. And remember, it only takes one drop of food coloring to discolor a clear glass of water. It only takes one self-justifying, self-willed decision to grieve the Spirit of God and put us at odds with the will of God.
Another thing behind the will of God is what is its ultimate application in our lives. It isn’t about doing some activity, service, or going somewhere. It is about pleasing the Lord in every area of our lives. Follow Paul’s reasoning in his prayer – He is asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. The ultimate will of God in this life and the next is a life totally given over to pleasing Him by bearing spiritual fruit for His glory and growing in the relationship we have with Him. So, in praying for the will of God, go beyond the temporal, the Bible does and focus more on having a life shaped to be pleasing to Him in whatever and wherever His “secretive will” takes and places us. If we do, we will walk in the ultimate expression of His will – holy lives, bearing fruit, and getting closer to Him.
PRAYER: “Father, help me to see Your will is more than where I live, what I do, but in living a life pleasing to You.”
QUOTE: “We too often pray for the will of God in our lives forgetting He has already revealed it in His Word to be obeyed.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim