Walter Knight told of an old Scottish woman who went from home to home across the countryside selling thread, buttons, and shoestrings. When she came to an unmarked crossroad, she would toss a stick into the air and go in the direction the stick pointed when it landed.
One day, however, she was seen tossing the stick up several times. “Why do you toss the stick more than once?” someone asked.
“Because,” replied the woman, “it keeps pointing to the left, and I want to take the road on the right.” She then dutifully kept throwing the stick into the air until it pointed the way she wanted to go.
Many people know the will of God but refuse to do it because it is not their will. (Source: Today in the Word, May 1989)
It is so important for believers to yield their will to the will of God! Think about it. God can see where I cannot. God knows everything. He has no limit to His power. He is even perfect in wisdom (Matt. 19:26; Ps. 147:5; Rom. 11:33-36). God has made my life the target of His love (Jer. 31:3; Rom. 5:8; I Jn. 4:11). God desires for my joy to be full (Jn. 15:11). So, why not follow God’s will for our lives? Do you know what we reveal about ourselves when we follow God’s will?
1. Doing God’s will reveals our enemies
Ex. 14:3-9a.
The pursuit of the enemy was as the Lord said it would be (Ex. 14:8-12).
One elderly monk in his community used to show his displeasure with other monks in a slightly creative way. As you may know, most monastic communities chant the psalms several times a day together in chapel. Well, if this elderly monk was angry at someone, every time the word “enemy” came up in a psalm, as in “Deliver me from my enemies,” he would look up from his prayer book and glare at the monk he was angry with. (Source: James Martin, Seven Last Words: An Invitation To A Deeper Friendship With Jesus, Harper One.)
There will always be enemies pursuing, but God is always victorious!
Speaking to a large audience, D.L. Moody held up a glass and asked, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One man shouted, “Suck it out with a pump!” Moody replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass.” After numerous other suggestions, Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. “There,” he said, “all the air is now removed.” He then went on to explain that victory in the Christian life is not accomplished by “sucking out a sin here and there,” but by being filled with the Holy Spirit. (Source: Today in the Word, September 1991)
2. Doing God’s will reveals trust
Ex. 14:13-14.
Worry and fear create an anxiousness that does not allow us to remain still. The Israelites saw the Egyptians charging across the dry ground that once was covered over with a sea of water. Before that, they saw them racing 600 chariots across the wilderness they just walked themselves. What would be your response? Fear is a pretty natural inclination in this situation. Minds would be racing. Look at the fear pathway the Israelites ran down when the Egyptians came into view:
Exodus 14:10 – their fear moves them to pray out of panic
Exodus 14:11 – their fear verbalizes sarcasm
Exodus 14:12 – their fear shows anger & blame shifting (I told you so!)
This is not all that different from the fear pathway we are prone to embrace when faced with potentially devastating circumstances. Moses stops this rapid decent and gives them 3 instructions: Do not be afraid, quiet down, and watch God save you.
Fear is calmed when trusting God. Proverbs 29:25.
3. Doing God’s will reveals true peace
Ex. 14:14.
Elijah in I Kings 19, Jonah in Jonah 1-4, and the disciples at Christ’s arrest all demonstrated that unbelief, anxiety, and fear all weaken peace. Trust in God strengthens peace. How is your peace meter doing today?
4. Doing God’s will reveals provision
Ex. 14:21-27.
God provides in a way only God could do.
God’s powerful sovereignty is evident throughout this entire account of His provision. His provision is not always comfortable, but it is always what is needed. Esther becoming the queen provided the pathway to save the nation of Israel from annihilation. Joseph becoming a slave provided the pathway to save the Israelites from a famine that would kill them all. The Israelites caught between the Rea Sea and their fast approaching enemies led them to the pathway to bring them to safety — while using the same pathway destroy the enemy that hotly pursued them.
We often cannot see God’s provision when we begin following His will…but it is there waiting for us when we need it! Following God’s will reveals His powerful provision.
God provides in a way only God could think.
God’s eye for details, clarity of the need, and response of those around Him is perfection itself.
Which of us could orchestrate all the details for Noah to build the ark amid such railings from his neighbors? Which of us could comprehend a means to tell the world about the saving grace of Jesus Christ in a time where there were no digital devices and no modern means of travel, but there was active brutal opposition? Which of us could possibly design a plan that delivers a million plus people across the Red Sea unharmed and at the same time destroys their tormentors?
When we stop trying to recreate the wheel, willingly trust the One who saved us, and then follow Hi — the church will find see God’s provision.
God provides in a way only God could be praised
See how the Israelites trust in God is built up (Ex. 14:31) after watching God provide? Here’s the amazing outcome of this process of following God: PRAISE. In fact, Exodus 15 is dedicated to a great celebration hymn sing of praise!
I saw a video clip of a young person trying to enter the ice rink from the stands. This particular section of the stadium had clear plexiglass forming the entire 8-foot-tall wall between the stands and the ice. The young person walked right into the plexiglass wall. Embarrassed, they swiftly moved a little further down the aisle to enter the ice rink, only to walk into the plexiglass again. Now quite embarrassed, they looked around to see who was watching and nervously laughed…only to repeat the same mistake. This same scene repeated 4 times before they finally gained entrance into the ice rink.
The pathway forward seemed clear to this person. Yet they insisted on following their pathway forward without considering the only possible way to move forward…walking through the open door way. Their pathway was harder, longer, and painful.
Following God’s will is more than a pretty good idea. Following God’s will helps us understand where our enemies are, helps us know what level of trust we have been placing in God, helps us experience genuine peace, and helps us see God’s provision for our lives revealed.
Yield to God’s will. You will find no greater peace, provision, and safety as you see your relationship with Jesus grow.