God's Goodwill

Let us go on an imaginary journey to the local thrift store.  This is the last chance reclamation ranch for all of our “why did I buy this” possessions.

 As we walk through this home of unwanted blessings,we find it to be a monument to our poor judgment.

 

 As we look among mountains of board games with missing pieces, and shelving units full of “bless this mess” plaques, aisles of chipped ceramic coffee cups, piles of neckties from the nineteen sixties, tarnished lamps, outdated electronics, and even a few Barry Manilow albums.  We find piles of old vinyl records, and i can see that because there are collectors for these.

 Old work shirts and worn coats; these are things I can understand. Lamps can be polished and rewired completely repaired. Coffee mugs washed out and their handles re glued, and even furniture can be reupholstered and restored, but one thing I have never seen on the shelf lying in a mangled pile of used up trash and trinkets is a Christian.

 

Why is that?

 

The answer is so simple that it is hard for the most understanding of us to fully comprehend.

 

GOD DOES NOT THROW HIS PEOPLE AWAY.

 

Why is this simple statement so hard for us to understand?

 

This is hard to understand because we throw people away when people do not do what it is that we want them to do or what we think that they should do.

 

I was talking with a fellow believer some time ago who had been reading the blog and they called because they just wanted to talk. I asked how Father was using them and the response they gave me was sad, but painfully transparent.

 

"I'm doing good... I blew my chance for God's perfect will because of some bad choices that I made earlier on and now I am just living in God's good will." He sadly remarked.

 

"God has a thrift store?" I asked.

 

"Well you know He has a perfect will, and then He has an acceptable will, and then He has a good will...", he continued and that is when I just cut him off.

 

"Explain that to me please." I asked him.

 

"Well, that is from Romans 12:1-2", He said. Then he went on to quote it for me.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."  ~Romans 12:1-2 "You see Dan, God's perfect will for me was to serve Him in full time Christian service and I blew that with a choice of a spouse and then His acceptable will was for me to at least hold an office in the church... I can't do that and so now I just go to church with my family. It wasn't God's perfect will but at least it was His good will right?", He stammered. His voice shook when he asked that.

"What happened in the beginning?" I asked him, just going straight to the point.

"Like as in the big beginning?" He replied.

"Yeah the big beginning man. What happened back in Genesis on day 6 of the creation story?", I asked and then went further before the answer could be given, "God made man in His image and what separated man from the animals was the fact that God gave man a living soul."

I continued, "The living soul was what set us apart and it is the living soul that allows us to be in the presence of God. God's perfect will for us is not some flower on the side of a mountain somewhere or a magic hoop of specific service to jump through. It is us being in His presence!"

This was made possible through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and it is in His presence where we find our fulfillment!

 

"But what about my mistakes that messed me up?", He asked.

 

I explained to him the post "Everything I have ever done." and that is when the response in the conversation broke my heart.

 

"You mean there is no level of His will called a good will?", He asked audibly shaken.

 

"Man, those are all descriptions of the same thing. There is no plan "B" there is only a plan "A". I replied.

 

"Then Dan," he asked, "Why have I been living my life like it was in plan "B"?"

 

"Because you believed a lie. You traded your life for bondage."

 

 

 

It does not matter what you have done.

 

It does not matter how far you have gone.

God desires to use us yes, and He will use us when we yield to Him, but God NEVER throws His kids away. Ever.

When the term Good Will was used immediately this picture of a Spiritual thrift store for broken, used up, cast off people came to my mind. The reason why this image came to my mind is because this seems to be the idea that is subtly conveyed alot of times. If you do not measure up to the standard of acceptance that is presented by a organized group, or if you don't check all of the boxes all of the time then you may just end up missing out on doing that one perfect work that God made you to do for Him.

The truth is this. God Made you to be in His presence.

That is His perfect, good and acceptable will for you.

I am going to say something that I feel that Father has dropped in my Spirit to share with you, and you may have a hard time with it. I will bold it in red just to make sure that you do not miss it because whether you choose to believe it or not, you need to at least have seen it.

There was no motive or agenda of  demanded service that God  expected from you when He extended for you!!!

"But God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." ~Romans 5:8

 

While we were actively sinning against a Holy God, He was actively extending toward us.

If anyone tells you anything else, put one hand on your wallet and one hand on your wife, because there is something at work here that is not good!

Father has no such thrift store plan for you. If you are there today, read the book of John. What you will discover is that it is you who have applied for the permits, hired the architect to draw up the plans, and it is you that have erected the building and assembled the very shelf that you have placed yourself on. It is always us who decides our value to God after we have messed up... never Him! He paid the price he saw us worthy of and that was the blood of His son Christ Jesus!

If you have placed yourself on the shelf of some spiritual thrift store today because you feel as though you have been broken, used up, or have lost pieces to you that made you valuable to those around you, may I please remind you that it is your choice to do this and it in fact is a store of your own making. God doesn't have a store like this.

Get off the shelf and back in the game. He is coming soon and longs to express His love through you to others around you!

Climbing with you,
~Dan