His Will Be Done

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

HIS WILL BE DONE

 

Acts 21:7-14

7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'" 12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."

NIV

Paul and his companions have reached the shores of Israel, and at Caesarea, they find the home of Philip, who was one of the seven deacons chosen by the people. As interesting as it is that Philips' four daughters prophesied, there is one main point in this narrative. Although the prophet Agabus acted and spoke for the Holy Spirit, Paul's companions and the people pleaded with him not to go to Jerusalem, and, though he would not be dissuaded, they gave up. They made this profound statement: "The Lord's will be done." Should that not be at the center of all this regarding our lives? Should we not always be content with the Lord's will being done in our lives? It is difficult to give up our own will, what we want to do, how we want to do it, and when we want to do it. We want to make our own decisions in life and plan for our future, but what about the Lord's will for our lives?" How do we justify doing what we have decided in light of what the Lord decided for our lives? We have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and he guides us into all truth, but that also requires that we listen. This is when it comes down to having a circumcised heart, exposing our hearts to the voice of the Spirit, who reveals the Lord's will for our lives. Yes, we are also filled with power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, or fills us, but that power is not to be used according to our will, but his will. Paul asked them why they were weeping and breaking his heart. At first, they were not concerned about the Lord's will, but they did submit, understanding that Paul's life was in the Lord's hands. That is how we should be living, in his hands, as He is the potter and we are the clay. He is the one who breaks us, melts us, molds us, into a vessel of his choice, and then fills us with his presence and power. However, we all have that choice, to live crippled by our own will, or live empowered by His will. We choose His will be done.