During the autumn, many people assess the year that is passing and begin to make plans for next year. But in such an uncertain world, how do we find our way? This month, we’re focusing on God’s will and decision-making. This last devotion assures us that God’s plans are the best for us:

IN WORD – What does a father dream for his child? Exciting adventures and great exploits, wise decisions and complete success, exemplary behavior and fruitful activity, and much, much more. Most of all, he wants his child to be deeply, wonderfully happy and full of joy. What does a mother dream for her child? Safety and peace, encouragement and nurture, security and prosperity. Most of all, she wants her child to be deeply, wonderfully happy and full of joy. Put all of that together and you have a picture that may begin to capture God’s heart for you. You also have a picture of God’s heart for everyone around you.
Our Father wills nothing but blessing on His people, and He desires that everyone fall under that category of “His people.” In a world full of people who are suspicious of God—and many Christians fit that description too—we need to know that the Father always wants the best for everyone. That’s what His kind of love is. He wants us to be deeply, wonderfully happy and full of joy and gratitude.
IN DEED – That means that every time He blesses you, disciplines you, speaks to you, comforts you, catches your tears, and shares a laugh, it is all toward that end. The Father put Israel through some difficult times, but it was toward this end. He gave some hard commands, but it was toward this end. He made a precious sacrifice, and it too was toward this end.
What should we do with this knowledge? First, apply His dreams to your life. Is He watching you with folded arms? Does He plan to withhold a gift from you? Does He enjoy watching you stumble? No, God delights in your progress and excitedly anticipates your fulfillment. Second, apply His dreams to the people around you. He delights in their progress too, and He anticipates their fulfillment just as zealously. Knowing that He will satisfy His dreams for you, ask Him how you can help Him satisfy His dreams for them. Live like a child who has extraordinary hope and a radically loving Father. “However devoted you are to God, you may be sure that He is immeasurably more devoted to you.” – Meister Eckhart (in “Worship the King” by Chris Tiegreen)

One of the greatest obstacles many Christians have is a failure to understand the full character and nature of God. They fail to trust God because their understanding of God is too small and their problems seem inordinately big.
Let me recommend a few books that can help broaden and deepen your understanding of God. A classic book is “The Existence and Attributes of God” by Puritan Stephen Charnock that is now freely available as a PDF (https://www.mountainretreatorg.net/theology/The-Existence-and-Attributes-of-God.pdf). Two more recent books are “Knowing God” by J.I. Packer, and “The Pleasures of God” by John Piper. These books take in all of Scripture and seek to describe God in all His fullness. Once you do, you will have the same understanding that the apostle Paul had when he wrote one of the longest sentences in the Bible in Ephesians 1:1-14. When your God is infinitely big, your biggest problems become infinitesimally small. Trust becomes the only response you can have. Have a blessed week! – from Singapore, Pastor Sam