If The Lord Wills

Question: How do you make God laugh?

Answer: You tell Him your plans.

In my opinion, the funniest scene in motion picture history comes from the film, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. In this 1975 British comedy film, King Arthur is on a quest to find the Holy Grail. In scene seven of the movie, the skies part and Arthur finds himself talking face to face with God.

(Of course, God is portrayed as a British Monarch!)

GOD: Arthur! Arthur, King of the Britons! Oh, don't grovel! One thing I can't stand, its people groveling.

ARTHUR: Sorry.

GOD: And don't apologize. Every time I try to talk to someone it's “sorry this” and “forgive me that” and “I'm not worthy”. What are you doing now?!

ARTHUR: I'm averting my eyes, O Lord.

GOD: Well, don't. It's like those miserable Psalms, they're so depressing. Now, knock it off!

ARTHUR: Yes, Lord.

GOD: Right! Arthur, King of the Britons, your Knights of the Round Table shall have a task to make them an example in these dark times.

ARTHUR: Good idea, O Lord!

GOD: 'Course it's a good idea!

-End-

The idea of Arthur telling God, our Lord and Master, the Supreme Being of Supreme Beings, our omnipotent and omnipresent God, the idea that Arthur tells God that He has a “good idea” has got to be the funniest thing ever said.

What makes the above joke and movie scene funny is man and his belief that not only does he know better than God but has control over his situation as well.

“For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” (James 4:15)

It all boils down to, “If the Lord wills”. Whether we live or die, do this thing or that, is all predicated upon the will and wishes of God. But we must see this picture complete. God is omnipresent. He not only gives us life, but God also sustains and maintains our life. If God somehow was to be no more (which is impossible) then we would be no more. In fact, nothing would live or even exist if God was not present upholding and breathing life into His creation continuously and perpetually.

It is important to understand that God does more than intervene. God is quite literally our life support system.

Theologically speaking, this is what separates the Theist from the Deist. The Theist believes in a singular. Supreme being that is actively involved in our lives. The Deist also believes in a supreme being but that God does not participate or intervene.

The statement, “If the Lord will, we shall….”, can quite literally be completed with anything.

God not only gives us life, but God also sustains and maintains our life. And it is God’s will that is the permission and influence over our will. God ultimately is the author and cause.

“and do this, or that”. “And do” from the Greek “Kai poieo”, meaning to be the authors of, the cause. To produce, construct, form, fashion, etc. (Thayer’s).

God has influence on our will. He does not change our nature and we do nothing against our own will.  

God, “nurtures, sustains, and governs all things in their conditions, qualities, and tendencies, as they stood at the beginning when they were created.” (Peter Vermigli)

We are influenced by evil. Our free will wasn’t so free before we allowed God into our lives. God’s influence on us levels the playing field against evil. Evil hardened our hearts and blinded us to truth. With God we now have discernment and the ability to choose between the good and the evil more wisely.

If God removed His grace and goodness from us we would be completely consumed by evil.

 “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:11-12)

“according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will”

God has a purpose for each of us. This makes each of us unique and special. It also makes each of us vital.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.” (1 john 5:14)

God will hear us if we ask according to His will. It is God’s will that we so desperately need and want. We even pray for His will to be done over our own will.

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10).

If we are in Christ and Christ is in us, if His word is alive in us, then, “ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John15:7)

It’s a matter of will. More specifically, it’s a matter of God’s will. Nothing can exist without it. Nothing can sustain or maintain without it. The only thing that can interfere with God’s will is not evil, but rather our own will. Everything is made possible when our will is God’s will. 

"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

Bill Hitchcock