Young Adults' Group

“Not My Will But Your Will Be Done”

by Pastor Mark
April 08, 2021

Reflections over Easter week

We thank God for a blessed time of worship and learning during the Easter week. The messages that Pastor Charles gave on Maundy Thursday and Easter morning ministered greatly to my heart. They were profound and impactful lessons about the will of God that should affect our life and ministry. I would like to share with you some reflections concerning these lessons.

“Not as I will, but as You will”

On Maundy Thursday, Pastor taught us about how the Lord Jesus used two Greek words for the word “will”. Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) The first “will”, a reference to God’s will, in Greek is “bouloumai” which means “determined, planned”. God’s will is determined and planned. The second “will” in Greek is “thelema” which means “desire, wish”. This has to do with the Lord Jesus’ will…His desire and wish. The different words used for “will” gave me greater insight to understand how the Lord Jesus struggled in the flesh concerning God’s determined will and His own desire.

Pastor laid out for us how the Lord Jesus fought back His struggles, such as His fear and fatigue. The Lord Jesus found strength in God. He focused on the will of God. The Father and Son relationship that Jesus had with God brought encouragement as He learnt to obey fully (Heb 5:8).

In His third prayer, the Lord Jesus used the simpler word “thelema” for God’s will (Matt 26:42). All God had to do was to wish it, and the Lord Jesus obeyed fully. There was now a blending of wills. I recognise that it is not easy to blend our will with the Father’s will. Yet, I recognise that there is no better choice than to follow His will. Let us be challenged to follow the Lord Jesus’ example to blend our will with the will of God.

“I am crucified with Christ”

At Easter, I was deeply challenged by the example of the Apostle Paul, who declared, “I have been crucified with Christ.” (Gal 2:20) The words “I have been crucified” is drawn from one Greek word “sunestauromai”. Paul used the Greek perfect tense to indicate a completed action that has strong ramifications. When Paul believed in Christ, he was crucified with Him. And the ramification was that it was no longer he who lived but Christ who lived in him.

As Paul sought to live by faith in the Son of God, God gave him the power to come alive (Gal 2:20). This is the same power that had raised Jesus from the dead. Let us experience this power in our life as we learn to overcome our struggles and sins.

“Your will be done”

As we learn to respond, let us consider Paul’s example of living by faith as God’s will for us. For me, as I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who should be living. I should be dead to sin and the things of the world. It is no longer about my will.

With Christ living in me, He should manifest Himself so much more in my life. Only by blending my will with God’s will might I be able to seek to live by faith in Him, in the power of His love. Let us be challenged to fulfil God’s will by living by faith in His Son.

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