God's Will for You

God’s Will for You

1 Thess 5:12-24

1. Both in America and Korea, family gather for annual thanksgiving celebration. It is universal for humanity. Even though we have labored for harvest, we do not regard it as our achievement but God’s blessing. Family reunion for this thanksgiving is a great tradition to maintain humble humanity even in this proud modern era. We teach our children to express gratitude to parents not to receive glory but to give virtue, not for ourselves but for their benefit. God has the same purpose in commanding our gratitude for everything.

2. In the end of the First Epistle to Thessalonians, Paul listed God’s will for us and then prayed that it may be fulfilled in our lives: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”(23) God wants for us, every part of us, whole spirit, soul and body, to be “blameless”, free from any evil and sin. He really wants for us to be purified and sanctified from any selfish desires and rebellious behaviors. God loves us and gave His Son for our healing, salvation and restoration. Among several lists, Paul gives three keys to restore our humanity, for it is God’s will for us: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”(16-18) These three commands are not separated but interrelated because all of them should be done always together. Each of three keys is unlocked with the other two keys.

3. To restore authentic humanity, we have to “be joyful always.” But we are joyful only when we have some joyful things. We become sad, angry, depressed, or rebellious when we have something else. It is wrong and even sinful because our feeling is so self-centered and controlled by circumstances. To overcome our fragile temper and weak emotion, God gave two prescriptions: pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances. Joyful life is happy life. God wants our constant happiness. However, if you are not joyful always, what is the cause? It is because you do not pray continually and because you do not give thanks in all circumstances.

4. Everybody prays in some difficult times. But if you pray only when you have some personal needs, you do not pray continually. God asked for us to pray because it is the medium to heal and sanctify our selfish ego. When we pray only for our personal needs, it can be such a pagan prayer that Jesus prohibited: “Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”(Matt 6:31-32); “When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”(7-8) Our heavenly Father knows our needs far better than we do even without our prayer. Christian prayer should begin with this strong trust. Without this trust and faith, our prayer fails however fervent and however long it is. Concerning our personal needs, believe and trust. Often trustless prayer becomes long and sad. Prayer changes us, not God. Genuine prayer is the school of self-emptiness and self-mortification. Prayer has other purpose. God commanded for us to pray not for us but for God. It is the reorientation of our sinful ego and rededication for God, our Creator and His Kingdom. So, Jesus changed our list of prayer: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.”(33) Jesus taught how to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, that is God-oriented prayer. Right prayer changes and sanctifies our humanity through repentance, forgiveness and correction of our desires. When our prayer is so changed, we can pray always in any circumstances. And with our strong trust in Father’s care and our sure hope for His Kingdom, we can be joyful always.

5. Also, when we learn how to give thanks in all circumstances, we will be joyful always. Some people who are so proud that he has the right to possess what he wants can be joyful only when they have everything they want. If any of them lacks, he has dissatisfaction and anger, sadness and depression. But when we stand before God and believe that everything is God’s gift to this unworthy sinner, we can give thanks in all circumstances, even in severe suffering. Even if one dies young, he can give thanks to God for giving his life of so many years in comparison to shorter lives or even non-being. Matthew Henry was robbed and lost everything but he gave thanks to God for four reasons: “First, because I was never robbed before. Second, because although they took my possessions, they did not take my life. Third although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” Those who pray always to God with trust and hope can give thanks in all circumstances, even in poverty, sickness, or suffering. A pastor visited a girl with lame hip and found that her north-sided room has no ray of sun, but to his compassionate comment she replied like this: “Pastor, my sun pours in at every window and through every crack. The Sun of Righteousness Jesus shines in here and makes everything bright.” As one Christian confessed, “Joy is the flag which flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence there.” Christian is the one who can give thanks in all circumstances, for even a small thing is graciously given by God.

6. Ingratitude does not originate from insufficiency, but from insensitivity and distrust, sinful pride and self worship. Jesus healed ten lepers and sent them to priest for its confirmation, and only one returned to Jesus and gave thanks. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?”(Lk 17:17) Charles Brown suggested nine reasons why they did not return: “One waited to see the cure is real. One waited to see if it last. One said he would see Jesus later. One decided that he had never had leprosy. One said he would have gotten well any way. One gave the glory to the priests. One said, O well, Jesus didn’t really do anything. One said, any rabbi could have done it. One said, I was already much improved.” Joy is the gift of God who knows and gives thank. Even after we give some small thing, we are waiting to receive thanks. And if they forget to thank, we regret our gift and decide not to give any more. Everything of us is the grace of God! Our list of thanksgiving is endless.We thanks for today.Ingratitude because of uncertain tomorrow is not right for human being: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."(6:34)

7. In this graceful season of thanksgiving, let us learn what God’s will for us is. God wants our happiness and sinless humanity as His image on the earth. Three keys will unlock your way to true humanity and happiness ever after. God will for us is in Jesus Christ, because he is the Key of keys. Be joyful always, pray ceaselessly, and give thanks in all circumstances! It is the way of redemption, salvation, and liberation of ourselves from every sin inside and outside of us.