Abiding in God’s will

Summary of sermon by Erlo Stegen, 31 Aug 2014

(also the engagement of Thomas Mhlogo and Makhosi Maphumulo)

Gen 24:1
1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.

4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.

7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.

9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

This portion is meant for you and me, God teaching us His way and His will for us. Many speak about doing God’s will but how can you do it if you don’t know it?

Abraham asked his servant to go and find a wife for His son. The servant asked if he should take his son there if the woman refuses to follow him but Abraham solemnly warned him to never do that.

Jesus taught us to pray that God’s will be done (Matthew 6:9-13).

Jesus also said that those who do the will of His Father are His brother and sister and mother (Matthew 12:50). That should fill us with joy and also help us understand why those who do not do His will deserve hell indeed.

Constantly persevere to do the will of the Father, 24 hours a day, 168 hours a week, every moment of your life; not to fulfil your own lust. Jesus said not everyone saying Lord Lord will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but those who do the will of My Father in Heaven (Matthew 7:21).

In this portion that we’ve read it shows to us that Abraham sought the will of God and found it. It has been recorded so that we can learn from him, since he is the “father of believers”.

How then do we find the will of God?

How did he learn the will of God? From the Word of God – from that which God had already spoken in the past. God’s revealed Word is in the Bible. We should be seeking the Lord’s will daily in the Scriptures.

In a similar way, in the life of a child of God you may know the will of God accurately. Abraham learnt from God, if a situation is like this, that ought to be done.

A certain very intelligent man said that if the day should arrive where technology overtakes mankind then man will have become an idiot. Take the cellphone for example where children of any age can view the most defiling things and the parents that buy their children these things have become foolish. They waste their time on their cellphones and TVs. Abraham was not led by a cellphone but by God.

We don’t find a place in the Bible where God instructed Abraham to look for a wife for Isaac, or that the woman should not be from Canaan. Canaan had plenty of girls that would’ve been all too happy to marry Isaac, a rich and famous man. But Abraham remembered God’s promises, that He would bless him.

Even when God instructed Abraham to sacrifice Isaac his promised son, he obeyed but also knew God’s voice so well that he stopped when the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven not to proceed, but to sacrifice the ram provided instead (Gen 22:12-13).

Abraham called his chief faithful servant to go and find a wife for his son. Abraham made his servant to swear not to take his son back to the country from which God had called him. Abraham knew that his chief servant could pray and knew God’s voice.

Abraham made him to vow not to take his son back, because he remembered the way God had led him out of that country.

Many a time you must know God’s voice not because He speaks to you audibly, but through the way He has led you in the past. His revealed Word is in the Bible. You must teach your offspring the same way because of the way God led you and taught you.

2Cor 2:14

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

Paul knew that God always led him in the way of triumph. Is that your experience?

God didn’t speak to Abraham in an audible voice to get a wife for his son. Neither did God audibly tell Abraham not to take a wife from the Canaanites. But Abraham knew the way he should take because of the way God led him in the past. Abraham knew God’s way instinctively and therefore knew God’s will in that situation. Because he knew God he could discern God’s will when to look for a wife for his son, where to look for a wife and which servant to give the task.

Abraham had once made a grave mistake. His wife Sarah had born him no child she had told him to take her maid servant also as his wife so that the promised son would come through her, and he listened to her, and Ishmael was born.

However, God taught Abraham that His promise would not come through Ishmael but through Isaac whom Sarah bore. Abraham learned God’s will and His way and sought God’s will in every situation. He knew God’s will through his various experiences with God.

Don’t be bluffed by the physical beauty of a girl but seek God’s will. Let your engagement, marriage, career, studies, and every decision in life, be guided by the will of God. Abide in His will and you will, as revealed in His Word, and you will be sure to recognise the Shepherd’s voice and you will be safe from the deceiver’s voice.

Have you learned to discern God’s will? The promises of God from the past, do they still have meaning for you? You must keep them precious and vibrant and teach your house the same otherwise you will lose them.

Abraham remembered God’s promises of the past and therefore sought and knew God’s will in the present.

If you’re serious about finding God’s will then search God’s Word until you understand and know His will and His ways. You need to go God’s way according to God’s will as found in the Bible. If you do what the Bible plainly says you won’t go astray.

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