My desires or God's will?

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me. ~He Leadeth Me; Joseph H. Gilmore, 1862

Sunday's sermon was on Abraham's lack of faith that God would provide Isaac, even when God promised to deliver his promise multiple times. Abraham and Sarah settled...they settled for what was less than God's best and perfect plan...they settled for "good enough".

Or so that is what we are told. My heart cries out, though. Not for Abraham. Not for Sarah. Not even for Isaac. My heart breaks for Ishmael, the son who was born to Sarah's handmaiden. The son of Abraham that was second best.

I can understand this concept when you talk about an event, or an object, or even a philosophical point, but the fact that we are talking about a person. A small child who didn't ask to be born, but was. A small child who became less than God's best? To this my heart says NO!

The sermon did make me stop and think, though. Am I TRULY following God's will for my life? Are the decisions I'm making, have made recently, will make soon, truly decisions I've asked God His will for? Or am I attempting to rule my life and then ask God for his blessing as an afterthought?

I know I want to be in God's will. I know I want His perfect plan. Am I being His faithful follower? Am I allowing Him, by His own hand, to leadeth me?

Missional Monday will return next week (hopefully) with renewed determination. Sorry for the break!