executors of God’s will: apprenticeship 1.1- nuance 5.0

“What would Jesus have done?” Just another morph that the phrase takes in my head as I see the way folks respond to it and the application that is made. At any rate, it seems to ask one to rely on what we have learned about Jesus (often from second or third hand information and faulty interpretation), rather on Him. What do I know about Jesus that would shed light on how He would like me to behave in this situation? This is a huge contrast to allowing Him to be my teacher, to lead me in decision making in my day-to-day and allowing the Spirit to grant understanding to what I study.

Sometimes I feel as if in trying to follow the will of God, what we are actually doing is just executing His will. What would God have wanted us to do? Maybe we should say things like, “I’m sure Dad would have been very proud of you”, or, “This is what Dad would have wanted.” Sometimes we even say it like that – “we need to find what God would want us to do”. But most of the time, its more subtle and that makes it hard to talk about because its mainly of feeling that deals in the difference between going through the motions and actually praying for guidance that one truly believes he can and will receive. Is there such a thing as certainty, confidence in your walk with God? Can we receive feedback day to day and feel God’s pleasure as we follow Him and grow closer to Him? Or are we relegated to study, and the attempt to carry out the wishes He has left with us, rather than obey Him as He continues to walk with us?
I know this whole subtle difference has to do with belief and confidence and hope. It is one of the big differences we see between ourselves and other religions that seem to focus on appeasing God and the only sure salvation is martyrdom. Are we a people who can only surmise what God is about, or are we a people to whom the living God has revealed Himself through scripture, and the Word made flesh, and continues to reveal Himself and be found by those who seek Him through the Spirit Who teaches, comforts, encourages and gives us peace?