Title: Obey God's Will (Luke 10:38-42)
Contents
♥Introductory words
When it comes to Dr. Schweitzer, the first thing that comes to mind is 'Africa', and the words 'sacrifice' and 'peace' come to mind. Dr. Schweitzer changed his life while reading Luke 16. In his talk about 'the rich man and Lazarus', he thought, 'Isn't the rich man white and Lazarus a black man?', so he went to Africa with a heart to atone for the sins of the white people who did all sorts of cruel things to black people. . He spent his 90 years of life in Africa touching the pus pockets of black people and living a volunteer life.
A Korean traveler, Chan-Sam Kim, met Dr. Schweitzer in Africa and stayed with him for a week at the scene of love. Dr. Schweitzer looked at Mr. Chan-sam Kim's ragged attire and said,
"I think my pants are very old! If it's okay with you, I'll give you my pants, so you can change." He said, giving out his pants. So, Chan-Sam Kim was able to draw the life of Christ's love through Dr. Schweitzer. As Mr. Chan-Sam Kim left there, he asked Dr. Schweitzer a question.
"Can you tell me the most important thing in life?" Dr.,
"Dig a well, dig a well!" said And waving to Mr. Chan-sam Kim, who was leaving, he said, "Peace to mankind! Love to mankind!"
People want peace, but rather than making peace, they create struggles and strife. True peace must come from within. This inner peace cannot be achieved without self-sacrifice. Through a life of hard work and sacrifice like Dr. Schweitzer, today, in this world, in any corner, in some form, peace is maintained and spread, isn't it?!
True peace for us Christians is inward and can be achieved through our relationship with God. There can never be peace for those who rebel against God. The peace of the soul we seek is the total surrender of ourselves to the will of God.
God's will is not as difficult and complicated as we think. God's will is rather simple. What complicates us and makes us difficult is our desire to not give up. That is what Jesus is saying to Martha in the text. "Martha! You are anxious and troubled about many things, but a few things or even one thing is enough."
Indeed, many Christians, like Martha, are themselves masters, working for their own pleasure. Not only that, he is taking the initiative, doing good, and loving God. They make rules for God and try to keep them, and they bring the fruits they keep to God. They want to serve God and have God. If these things do not go according to your will, you will be disappointed and turn away from the Lord. This is never God's will, nor is it to serve. only to serve yourself.
-Mark 7:10-13, "Moses said, 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'He who blasphemes his father or mother will surely die.' It is enough if you say that what you are offering to be beneficial is corban, that is, it has been given to God.' And you did not allow your father or mother to do anything again, so you abolished the word of God by your inheritance, He does many things.”
God's will is to give ourselves to God, to be possessed by God. Mary "sit at the feet of the Lord and listened to him." The Lord lifted her hand, saying, "Mary has chosen this good part, and it will not be taken from her."
To obey God's will does not mean to know many things. And I'm not talking about having great talent. It doesn't even mean doing great things. It is simply that we seek righteousness with our hearts and enjoy God.
- Deuteronomy 12:7, "Eat there, before the LORD your God, and you and your family will rejoice, because the LORD your God has blessed the work of your hands." / Psalm 68:3, "The righteous rejoice before God." Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice.” Ecclesiastes 5:19, “It is a gift from God that God gives to anyone riches and wealth, that they may enjoy it, and that they may receive a division and rejoice in their hard work.” I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, and my soul will rejoice in my God, for he puts on me the robe of salvation, and adds to me the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom wears yearnings and a bride adorns with her treasures." Revelation 18:20, "Rejoice in him, ye heaven and saints and apostles and prophets, for God hath made upon him the judgment against you."
How desperately do we strive to please God or to receive God's blessings, and do we strive to do what we think is good?! So, I intentionally plan and implement a lot of things to show people and get approval. Many saints and churches show and propagate that God is doing His will. Just as Martha is busy and struggling alone to serve Jesus. Martha complained because she wanted the Lord to recognize her efforts. "Lord, do you not think that my brother leaves me to work alone? Command me to help me."
To enjoy God, that is, to rejoice in God's will, means that we can do all things with joy and pleasure. It means that you can enjoy peace of mind even if there is opposition, persecution, and hardship.
“I have nothing more to take. Pastor Juan Carlos Ortiz, who wrote the book “Christ alone is enough”, wrote his own story in that book.
I remember years ago when my son was struggling to attend an expensive private college. It was a very good Christian school, but the tuition was very expensive. My wife cut it in one word.
"It's absurd to think of you going to a school like that." We couldn't afford to send our son to that school. So my wife started to worry about it. I couldn't see it, so I told my wife.
"Don't worry. That's not going to fix it. So let's think about what we can do. The first thing is that the child can't go to school."
"But honey, that kid really wants to go to that school."
"Then second, there's a way to sell our pianos."
"No, it's our family's common property."
But we had to find a solution to that problem. My wife said no to everything I suggested. So what's the solution? Are you concerned? My wife continued to worry, so I finally decided to get a loan. The wife asked anxiously how she would pay off the debt. But we got a loan, and four years later, we're still paying off that debt. Although it is still financially difficult to pay off debt, such a solution has brought peace to our family.
Pastor Carlos added. "Anxiety is a sin. It makes us powerless. It is of no benefit to us if we keep on worrying."
Yes. It is of no benefit to the saints who delight in God and do God's will to be grieved. And worry, anxiety, and frustration are not the result of obeying God's will. This is because the saints think about the future. While doing God's work, I think about the future and feel anxious, trying to see through the future. The future never belongs to us. The future belongs to God.
To obey God's will is to do good every day. Believing in God's guidance and being grateful for the environment and life given to you, and enjoying life with joy.
Finally, in order to conform to God's will, we must make ourselves completely devoted to God. The problem with Martha was that she was not willing to accept everything that was given to her. Likewise, the problem with many of us busy with things is that, first, we don't fully trust ourselves to God, and second, we don't want to accept everything that comes to us.
Complete dedication is the unhesitating acceptance of what God has given you. You don't have to hide anything, and you don't have to struggle to manage yourself. If you are not fully committed to God, you will easily become dissatisfied with others. Not only that, but you will be dissatisfied with yourself, full of hesitation and distrust. Total commitment makes us simple. By acknowledging God in all things without arguing about this or that, you will enjoy the peace that God has in your hands.
Can we entrust ourselves to the Lord? God knows us all too well. God knows that we are fragile beings made of dust. So he found us out of the world, took us in his arms, and took on all our weaknesses. And He loved us even to the point of dying on the cross for our peace and freedom.
This Lord has prepared life for us and guides our steps. All we have to do is submit to the will of God who guides us. Leave all the results to God. Could you entrust your life to the Lord?
I pray that the Lord's guidance will fill your lives.