I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart." - Psalm 40:8

Today's Scripture Reading (July 8, 2022): Psalm 40

In the Science fiction series Star Trek: The Next Generation, there is an interesting moment when the inhabitants of a backward planet, Mintaka, are trying to decide what to do with their strange visitors from space. One of the men decides that what God wants of them is that they sacrifice the visitors, beginning with their Captain, Jon-Luc Picard. This idea of sacrificing the captured Enterprise crew members promotes a conversation among the primitive planet dwellers, the Mintakans, and among their captured visitors from space. And it is at this point in the plot that Counsellor Deanna Troi responds with a question. "Are you sure you know what he {God} wants? That's the problem with believing in a supernatural being – trying to determine what he wants."

It is an important question for all of us who are followers of God. How do we know what God wants? How do we understand the will of God? It is a question I have wrestled with throughout my life and one with which I continue to wrestle. God, what is it that you are asking of me? And this is made even more difficult when the Bible offers differing views or interpretations of a situation. How do we know what to do?

For me, the answer is always to err on the side of love. I want to be on the side of those being bullied rather than supporting the bullies. It is the side that I think God would be on. After all, its fits well with the instructions given to us by Micah. "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). And I want to do the will of God.

David says that he desires to do the will of God and that his understanding of the will of God was intimately connected with God's law. And so, he says that God's law is written on his heart. God's law is hidden away in the one place where it will govern all of David's actions and behaviors.

Jesus was once asked how he read the law? It is another good question for all who seek to do God's will. How does Jesus, the one we follow, interpret the law of God? I can't think of any other interpretation that should hold sway in our thinking. But Jesus didn't tell the man what it was that he thought. Instead, he turned the question around on the man. How do you read it?

The man replied," 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Luke 10:27). Jesus replied, "You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live" (Luke 10:28).

I am convinced that this hasn't changed. If we want to do the will of the Father, we must respond with love for God and each other. Do this, and God's will is completed in your life. Don't do this, and your life won't matter; it will be as if you had never lived.

I know what I want to do. I want to live!

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 53