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ÒI Delight to do Thy Will, O My God.Ó

Psalm 40:8

 

Few questions are of greater concern to men and women who are endeavoring to honor God in their lives than this. — How can I know the will of God? Nothing is so important to the believing heart as knowing and walking in the will of God. We dare not be presumptuous in this matter. Yet, we who believe can know GodÕs will and walk in it, not perfectly and absolutely, but sincerely and honestly. If, by the grace of God, I sincerely seek the glory of God in all things and above all things, and live by faith in Christ, following the leadership of his Spirit and the direction of his Word, endeavoring to serve the interests of his church and kingdom for the furtherance of the gospel, I will be in the will of God. It is written, ÒTrust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy pathsÓ (Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

Christ Our Example

As in all aspects of our lives as his people, our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, left us an example to follow in this. In the 40th Psalm, we hear our Lord Jesus speaking as JehovahÕs Righteous Servant and our blessed Savior. — ÒI delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.Ó We know that these words find their ultimate and perfect fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ, because the Holy Spirit tells us so in Hebrews 10:7-9. How we rejoice to know that Christ, the God-man, our Substitute, has fulfilled all the will of God for us! By his obedience to God in our stead, the Lord Jesus Christ obtained eternal redemption for us. His obedience to God is our righteousness. His blood is our atonement for sin. We are complete in Christ; and we are accepted in him, because he delighted to do the will of God as our Substitute.

 

DavidÕs Words

Yet, these were also DavidÕs words. They express the desire, ambition, and driving force of every believerÕs heart. — ÒI delight to do thy will, O God.Ó All who are born of God bear this distinct mark of grace in the likeness of Christ. Believers in their inmost souls delight to do the will of God. Our joy and happiness is not merely in receiving good from God, but in rendering active service to God. We desire to obey and serve our heavenly Father in all things, and do his will at all times, not reluctantly, but cheerfully. GodÕs will is our joy and delight. More than that, we delight to see GodÕs will done in and by others, too. Our heartÕs prayer is, ÒOur Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heavenÓ (Matthew 6:9-10). God the Holy Ghost has taught every believer in the world to pray with Christ, ÒThy will be done.Ó Were it possible to gather all the desires, ambitions, aspirations, goals, and prayers of all GodÕs saints in heaven and earth into one expression, it would be, ÒThy will be done.Ó Every believer delights to do the will of God!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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