Not Our Will

Jeremiah 29:11   For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  This is the truth that we intentionally repeat to our kids everyday.  We always tell them that God has a great future planned for them and that they can be what God wants them to be only if they learn to obey.

     I was also reminded of this verse when I read what my 7 year old son wrote this morning.  Today, we read chapter 1 of 'The Long Way to a New Land' by Joan Sandin.  It is about a family who faced starvation in Sweden and when they were already losing hope, they were encouraged by a letter they received which persuaded them to sell everything they have and move to America.  I asked Riel to pretend that he was Carl Erik.  We talked about what he would do if he was in his shoes.  He had lots to say and since my son loves writing, I asked him to write down what he would do if there was famine in the Philippines.  Here's what he wrote. 

"If God chooses me to go to  North America, I want to go to the East, play in the snow and join the Miami Heat basketball team. If God doesn't allow me to go to North America, I will go to Africa where I can find a real giraffe and see how tall it is.  If not going to those 2 countries, I will go to South America, in Brazil to Rio de Janeiro.  When I am there, I'll get some birds of my own and one marmoset. It will be very nice to get all around the word (If God wants me to do it). I will also get to know languages too."

     Though Riel's thoughts were simple :-) , I was blessed to learn how important God's will is for him.  I asked him why this is so, and he said, "because mommy, if I don't obey God, I will be miserable!"

     Four years ago, we could have migrated to another country but God intervened.  There were a lot of things we would not have been able to do if we were not in the place where God wants us to be.  We wouldn't have finished our GLC classes, we wouldn't have a dgroup, or we wouldn't have felt how it is to handle one, we wouldn't have met our precious TMA coop, we wouldn't have homeschooled our kids at all, we wouldn't have this privilege to know our kids intimately, we wouldn't have embraced God's mission for us (to make disciples who will make disciples),  we wouldn't have grown in our walk ... and a lot more. 

     At times when God is silent, I would pray - Lord, please don't allow me to make decisions based on what I feel.   The Lord knows that I can be very stubborn at times, insisting on what I want to do or what I want to happen or what I feel is right but I thank God because He alters my plans and directs my feet. Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done in our life, in Jesus name.