Will Of God 4 – Jesus is the answer?

Jesus said, ‘He who sent me is with me, for I always do what is pleasing to him’ (John 8:29).

Sometimes we debate God’s will, as if it is a memo God thought up just a few minutes ago. But to know God’s will, we Christians need to go back 2000 years and get as close as possible to Jesus. He is the ultimate embodiment of God’s will: he exhibited God’s will, spoke of it, fulfilled it. The more we know about Jesus, the more we focus on what Jesus did and said, on who he was (and is), the closer we will be to God’s will, the more clarity we will have about God’s will.

If you want to see God, start with your own heart, your own body – for we believe God took up residence in a body, with a heart, in Jesus, who loved, laughed, desired, hungered, yearned, was disappointed, frustrated, and enraged, yet dreamed, wept, and finally leaped for joy.

Hidden in the story of Jesus is the answer to both Will of God questions: What does God want me to do? and Why do bad things happen? Jesus showed us how to live, and you can stay busy for a lifetime trying to get better at imitating him. But notice Jesus didn’t thump his enemies, or call down thunder on those who imitated him badly. He was merciful, open, receptive; his love was resistible, and evil crossed him in cruel ways. How he bore up under evil and suffering is somehow the answer to Why bad things happen – but more on that later.

So in Jesus, we see that God’s will isn’t an ironclad steamroller. You need not fear a mistake or two (or a thousand): God’s will isn’t a long railroad track, and if you get derailed you are unsalvageable wreckage. Jesus joined hands with people who’d lost their way, and loved them, stuck with them, died for them, and didn’t linger in the tomb for long. God’s will is like that.