Take my life

 

Psalm 40:8.  Common English Bible

I want to do your will, my God.

    Your Instruction is deep within me.

Now and again one of my Bible-based daily meditations strikes the same note as one of my 12 Step daily meditations.  When that happens I consider that to be a sign from God that this is something I need to pay special attention to.    Today Bible Gateway and Just For Today both talked about actively working toward doing God’s will.

I want to do your will, my God.  Reminds me a bit of Paul talking about doing things he does not want to do in Romans 7:14-25 - a “Spirit is willing, flesh is weak” kind of thing.  “ I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. . . . with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.” Likewise, I’m sure the disciples wanted to stay awake while Jesus prayed, but I imagine sitting waiting in the dark after a very long and emotional Passover day was a bit more than they could do right then.  

Of course, the disciples were dealing with very explicit instructions.  Most of the time we can’t be certain of whether what we are doing is God’s will for us.  I tend to think that if an action is more about love and serving others than it is about me, it probably aligns with God’s will.  In my case, I often find that if there are two roads and I really want to walk down one because the other looks too hard - God’s will is somewhere along the hard road.  But that’s just me.  

I want to do the things that are most pleasing to God, so every morning I pray a prayer I learned in 12 Step meetings, “Take my will and my life, guide me in my recovery, show me how to live.”  I’m fairly sure I am not successful in turning my will and life over to God all the time, but I am sure I manage now and again.  After all, we have received explicit instructions - Love God with all that you are, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.

My God, I want to do your will.   I don’t always succeed because I am human and prone to giving in to my weakness, but I do want to.  Help me to follow directions and do as you would have me do in all things.  I pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.