A Suggestion For His Will

“Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”  Luke 22:42

What does the Father's will have in store for you and me? We answer this along the lines of that corporate question we get at the annual review: Where do you see yourself in five years? Of course seven people in the group of seven know the expected answer and tell the boss that all of them expect to be the CEO of the company in five years. Should a person answer honestly, "In five years I'll still be in the same cubicle, fatter, enjoying the smallest raises the company can get away with while keeping me here, and probably facing some health crisis brought on by the stress of this place." The company rep will be a bit shocked and probably recommend the employee for counseling of a professional nature. We try to answer the Lord's will question in the first way more often than not. 

By now in life many of us have come to know that the Lord is not likely to have tens of thousands of multi-megachurch pastors jamming the television channels and holding stadium revival meetings in every town and on every evening. As those positions bring many earthly rewards, the Lord has ample volunteers to fill those slots. Besides, who would be in the audience if everyone was on the stage? But what if, horror of horrors, the Lord's will for our remaining years is that we grow older, suffer various bodily breakdowns, and eventually end up in a nursing home without a dime to our name? That sounds like what our risen Lord offered to Peter by the Sea of Galilee: 

"Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”   John 21:18

Tradition says one thing about Peter's death, and maybe it is correct. But one can also see a little old man in a rolling chair lifting up his arms to be dressed and wanting to go to breakfast but being taken to physical therapy instead. To a man of work and vigor such as Peter, that may have been the most frightening thing he heard from our Lord! 

Praise the name of our Lord whatever His will holds for us in this life! 

Bucky