The Shadow Forest

Saturday, April 14, 2007

In Tune

I was reading over notes about the Holy Spirit just now. There is a particular note in the margin Geoff made that I keep reading again. Every time I read it after a break, I read this:

"You are most in tune w/God's particular will when you are most obedient to it."

Haha. Now that's not what it says. The section of notes is about the Illuminating Work of the Spirit. It is talking about the three aspects of the will of God:

Sovereign (Ephesians 1:11)
-Will by which God accomplishes all that He foreordained before the foundations of the Earth
Moral (Preceptive/Revealed)-Am I being faithful?
-Knowing what pleases him-living a life of holiness-Ephesians 5:17
Particular (Individual) -Where will I be most fruitful?
-The context and way we serve Him-a personal word from God
-Consider Biblical examples:
-Provision of Isaac's wife (Genesis 24)
-Peter's call to suffer (John 21)
-Paul's trip to Macedonia (Acts 16)
-The endowment of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12)

It's on the margin of this section I always read Geoff's note. In the other margin he has:

"Moral>Particular Not the other way around."

My whole life I've had problems with this. I cogitate over the particulars of God's will for me all day, and spend minutes on knowing what pleases him. Oh, boy, I need Grace to know more of him. Oh, for Grace to know him more.

So, I don't think it's coincidence that I read Geoff's note wrong. Not at all.

This is what Geoff's note actually reads:

"You are most in tune with God's particular will when you are most obedient to His moral will."

Oh for Grace, oh for Grace to know him more.

2 comments:

Lindsey Brittain said...

I just realized that you left a comment on my hymnal series....I'm not good at looking at comments apparently. Thanks though! I like this post!

chavon taylor said...

this is definitely me too! I am a PARTICULAR ADDICT! i hope you remember me or otherwise this could be awkward. :/