Determining God's Will

by

Rev. Richard Fisher

Making choices is not always easy. I received this email from one of my wife’s sisters. “One winter morning in Michigan a couple was listening to the radio while eating breakfast. They heard the announcer  say, "We are going to have 8 to 10 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the  even-numbered side of the street, so the snowplows can get through." Norman's wife went out and moved her car. A week later, while they were again eating breakfast, the radio announcer said, "We are expecting 10 to 12 inches of  snow today. You must park your car on the odd-numbered side of the street, so the snowplows can get through." Norman's wife went out and moved her car again. The next week they were again having breakfast, when the radio announcer said, "We are expecting 12 to 14 inches of snow today. You must park ." Then the electric power went off. Norman's wife was very upset and with a worried look on her face, she said, "Honey, I don't know what to do. Which side of the street do I need to park on so the snowplows can get through?" With the love and understanding in his voice, Norman said, "Why don't  you just leave it in the garage this time?”

How can our choices line up with God’s will? The Bible is filled with precepts which are specific, black-and-white truths. The Scriptures also has principles which are general guidelines to assist us through the "gray areas" of life. On our highways we have an example of the difference between precepts and principles. A precept sign says "Speed Limit 55." A principle sign says, "Drive carefully."

As a teenager, I didn’t understand why God, through His Word, was directing certain choices but by God’s strength I followed them. I am so thankful for that guidance then and now. The Scripture describes the blessings of doing God’s will in our choices.

Psalms 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”