Chapter One
God's GoodwillGod's will. Sometimes it sounds ominous. If our hearts aren't ready
to
receive it or obey it, the prospect of asking to know it can be frightening.What if he wants me to go to Antarctica or Zimbabwe? I hate the
cold. I hate the heat. Never, no way. Not me!
Our trust or distrust of God's goodwill toward us can be evident in
the way we approach the topic of God's will. What do we really believe
about his purposes and our role in his plans? Are we ready to place ourselves
in his hands? Are we ready to position ourselves under the spout of
blessing? Are we ready for any surprises he might have for us, confident
that he is a God of perfect love?
Let's start our study by looking at the gospel account of a woman
who was clearly ready to receive God's word and will: Mary, Jesus' mother.
Many women put Mary on a lofty unreachable spiritual plane. Yes, in one
sense she was unique in all history. But a closer look at Luke's gospel may
reveal some surprises. You may have more in common with Mary than you
think!
God is looking for people who are
available as His instruments. Gien Karssen
A Moment
for Quiet Reflection
1. When you think of "God's will for me," name one fear that
comes to mind.
2. Write a brief (one-sentence) prayer. Start the prayer, "Lord, I am ready for you to show me ." Finish the sentence by
identifying what you would like to know or learn from him
during the course of this six-lesson study.
3. Copy your prayer. Tape one copy to the inside front cover
of this booklet. Put your name on the second copy and
take it with you to the first group gathering.
Knowing God's Heart
1. The gospel of Luke gives insight into Mary's character and
our own standing as women in Christ. Read Luke 11:27-28.
What is easier for you-"hearing" from God or obeying
him? Discuss your answers.
2. Read Luke 1:26-40, 45. Then have the group close their
eyes as one person rereads aloud the greetings from God's
messenger (verses 28 and 30). Reread it yet again, trying to
receive the blessing as "your own." Does it unsettle you, as
it did Mary? If you feel the need to answer "but ." in
response to the blessing, discuss the "what" and "why" of
the "but."
3. It seems the messenger or the message made Mary afraid.
Does being "favored by God" make you afraid of anything? What and why?
4. Consider the angel's greeting and closing (verses 28 and
37) as if they were a frame around his message. Describe
the qualities of that frame.
5. If you can see God's will for you as being similarly framed, do your feelings change their shape, size, or position? Explain.
6. What specific information about the future (the next thirty
years) did the angel give Mary?
7. When thinking about God's will for you, do you itch for
"details" so you can feel more on top of what might happen? Think of a specific situation in which you would like
to know God's will. What "details" do you wish God would
reveal to you?
8. What did Mary's responses (verses 34 and 38) say about
her readiness to hear and do God's will?
9. As a group, reword Mary's parting response to the angel
(verse 38) in several ways. In one version include the
phrase "God's will." If one version more than others strikes
you as "your" heart-prayer, explain why.
10. The rest of Mary's life would be full of surprises. One of
those surprises came when Mary went to visit Jesus, now
grown and preaching in a nearby town. Read Luke 8:19-21.
If you had been Mary, how would this have made you feel? As a Christian believer, how does it make you feel?
Mary Myself
11. These verses in Luke 8 draw us back to the blessing of
"hearing and obeying God's word" found in Luke 11:28
(question 1). Read again Luke 11:28. To encourage each
other, tell of one grace or blessing you've experienced in
the past as you heard and obeyed God's good will.
12. Read Luke 2:19, in which Luke describes Mary's reaction to
curious life events. Share a personal experience, where
you've been able to make sense of God's way only after
you've had time for quiet reflection. How has this reflection
helped allay your fears of God's will for you?
Lord . May I relish the joy of knowing
you are full of wonderful surprises. Luci Swindoll
Friendship Boosters
1. To get better acquainted with one another and your individual
goals for this study, read aloud to the group your
prayers written before the session. Throughout the study
the other women in your group might provide valuable
insight as they remember your prayer.
Place all your prayers in a bowl or basket and then pick
out one prayer-slip other than your own. Tape the request
inside the back cover of this booklet. Throughout the next
six weeks stay particularly attuned to the woman who
wrote this prayer and pray along with her about her
request. Send her an occasional encouraging note, or call
to ask how God is revealing his will to her.
2. Mary's attitude and behavior in response to God's will still
inspire us today. As a group allow yourselves to "think big."
Imagine your families, neighborhoods, or the world fifty
years from now. What blessings do you hope will remain as
a result of your ready response to God's word? Sprinkle a
little humor into your conversation and see where it takes
you. Who knows how God might spark up possibilities for
what you see as a far-fetched impossibility.
Just for Fun
After receiving the angel's message, Mary may have lived
with some apprehension. But she also surely sensed that something
wonderful was about to happen. Using folded white or colored
typing paper and colored markers, make a greeting card to
send or hand to someone else in the group. The message should
relay good wishes and prayers for the expected coming of "something
wonderful," as you all become increasingly ready to receive
God's good will.
Praying Together
Be open and honest before God, bringing to him your
questions and feelings about knowing and walking in his will. If
many in your group are "afraid of surprises," consider the Luci
Swindoll prayer above, asking God to help you learn to delight in
his good will, whatever surprises it may bring. End the prayer by
expressing your confidence in God, that "he who began a good
work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ
Jesus" (Phil. 1:6).
What He teaches you to see He also teaches you to do. Andrew Murray
(Continues.)
