The Chase
Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
My son had a friend recently present to him some discrepancies he had discovered about what God is supposed to be like. He said something to the effect that if God really loves us and is all powerful, why doesn’t He just make us take what is best for us (sort of how a good parent should care for their child)? He really was making a very valid point and one that is pretty much covered by God in all He’s done to make us receivers of His salvation and blessing. There is one thing God cannot do, however, being the good and loving God that He is. He will not violate our own hearts and turn us into unwilling slaves before Him. It’s really one of His most endearing characteristics that even though He is in hot pursuit of us, desiring the very best for our lives together with Him, He insists on letting the choice of Him and all that He’s provided be ours. If He for one moment were to compromise this principle all that could ever be considered good in Him would be tainted.
It is interesting to see the will requirement being fulfilled even in Jesus in the garden before His crucifixion. You might think that His role in being the spotless lamb for all of mankind would have been a given- something not even considered to be an option. Yet it was so obvious that, while Jesus would eventually comply and complete the Father’s will, at that moment it was in direct conflict with His own will. He had a choice in the matter, and this decision was actually one of the most important elements in Jesus’ qualifications as our redemption’s fulfillment. Until God’s pursuit of Him and the part He would play became Jesus’ own pursuit, with His own will being laid down in the process, there could be no progress made towards the eternal communion of our hearts. If Jesus had not given up His own earthly passions for His Father’s heavenly one, all the miracles, teachings, and incredible works He had performed throughout His life here would have been rendered meaningless. It all came down to a decision of what His heart would chase after, and it had nothing to do with considerations of His own ‘free’ thinking or liberty as the Son of God. The decision to serve was completely His, and because He chose as He did, all the power and provision of heaven was placed at His disposal. If His choice had been otherwise, He would have been all on His own, having failed in His whole purpose for coming to earth. He would have exercised His own ‘free’ will, but it would have deprived Him of His potential.
Goodness and mercy, grace and forgiveness, power and ability, strength and confidence, health and prosperity- all are following after us in a chase that is only meant for our good and betterment. They are the expressed will of the Father concerning us, but they will not be forced upon us, not matter how able God might be to do so. Like the pursuit of a young man for the darling of his heart, there will be no real lasting relationship or ability to provide her anything from his resources until there is a return of passion- till the young women begins to seek him in return. No matter how sincere his intentions or financially qualified he might be to provide, if he is an honorable young man, he will be ever awaiting returned affection and pursuit before ever pouring his affections upon her. Till her will and her passion are aligned with his, there will be no progress made towards the provision of companionship and every material supply that is readily available.
The chase is on today for our heart, our will and our passion. Our Father will never give up or slow down in His pursuit of our lives- to commune and to provide. His will and intentions will never be the question. Our will, though, and our passion will always be the deciding factor that determines whether or not we experience the salvation of the Father’s hand. Till our ‘free’ will is aligned with His there can be no expectation of fulfilled purpose or satisfied living. The greater the returned passion and pursuit, the greater will be His ability to provide, and the greater the conflict with our own ‘personal’ will, the greater will be the significance of our acquisitions with Him upon our submission to His will. May the chase be great and may it ever be growing from our side as it remains forever ‘hot’ from His.
John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
:39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Luke 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
