The Lord willing we will observe the Lord’s Table Wednesday.

MY WILL OR GOD’S WILL?

Do I want salvation to depend on my will or God’s will? My will (and the will of all men) is summed up in Luke 23:25 when Pilate “delivered Jesus to their will”. The will of man is to destroy the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s will for His people is summed up in Galatians 1:3-4 “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father”. Then it is obvious I don’t want my will but God’s will to be done. Lord deliver me from my will and save me according to Your gracious will!

A man’s best efforts to earn righteousness before God will leave him impoverished, with no righteousness at all, but God’s mercy will make him rich. A man’s best efforts to avoid sin will leave him in the depths of sin, but God’s mercy will lift him up to God. Then let’s shun our works and beg God for mercy.

MY PRAYER FOR THIS GENERATION

After the last presidential election, many colleges and universities had to establish “safe places” in which refuge and counseling could be found by students unable to cope with the fact that their candidate had lost. I am unaware of any generation in the USA before this one that was so ill-equipped for the difficulties of life that some event as inconsequential as a political election could drive it to despair.
 However, this does not greatly surprise me. This present generation of college age students in the USA (commonly called Generation Z – the last generation?) was raised in a time unprecedented academically, religiously, culturally and societally. Government schools have evicted God and His Christ. Most “Christians” are so only in name and lip-service. Unchristian religions including atheism are increasing. Few parents endeavor to lead their children away from the world and to Christ. In both our society and culture, immorality and ungodliness and the spirit of anti-Christ are becoming more pervasive. Current events suggest God is withdrawing His restraining hand from the wicked. Christ has been made to be “like a stranger in the land” (Jeremiah 14:8).

My heart cries for this generation. For I have family members and friends in it. And I dearly love my country and am greatly concerned for its future. If a political election drives many in this generation to despair, what will they do when they face the far more consequential events in their future? Where will they find a “safe place” and counseling when they are no longer in their schools? What is the future of our country when this generation is in charge of it?

How sad is the plight of those who are ignorant of Jesus Christ the Hiding-Place (Psalm 32:7; 119:114; Isaiah 32:2) and “Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:6)!

I therefore pray with the psalmist, “Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come” (Psalm 71:18).