My first encounter with the Chronicles of Narnia was Michael York’s unabridged audio recording of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I’m still struck by how well this performance depicts God’s joyful self-satisfaction as He eagerly fulfills His sovereign purposes.
Lewis, of course, pictures Jesus as Aslan, the Great Lion of Narnia (Rev. 5:5). Aslan doesn’t answer to commands; he’s not manipulated by pledges or praises; he’s not on a leash. He’s absolutely free to do however he pleases—He’s not a tame lion. Yet, in all His “otherness,” He’s joyful, gracious, merciful, and good.
You see, Lewis understood that believers far too often think of God as an elevated man rather than a mercifully accessible Sovereign. And when we make that mistake, we lose restful assurance in God’s sovereign purposes; we forfeit satisfied contentment in God’s good provisions. So, let’s answer three questions: (1) How do we reduce God to elevated humanity? (2) What does the Bible say about God’s desires? (3) How should the believer respond?
First, how is it that we think of God as an elevated man? I can think of at least two ways.
We Assume That God Hesitates
First, we read back into God the same type of hesitance that might characterize a high school principal when he is speaking with the student-body president. “Well,” the principal says, leaning back in his chair, striking a thoughtful pose, “I can certainly see the wisdom in your request for a school-wide Laser Tag Day, but I’m going to have to chew on this a bit.” Yes, carefulness is a key ingredient in effective leadership . . . among men. But God isn’t a man. He’s God and He already knows His plans for you (Jer. 29:11). The process by which you discern God’s will isn’t for God’s benefit, but for what He’s trying to accomplish in your life by bringing you to know what He’s already determined to do.
We Believe that God is Reluctant
Second, we wrongly perceive in God the same unwilling reluctance that I have when it comes to my wife’s vegetable creations. She enjoys experimenting with new ways of making meals from these leafy treats, the very items that I believe are useful only for garnish on a juicy steak. Once, she actually asked me, “Would you like to try this pizza with crust made of cauliflower?” I cringed, took a big gulp, and said, “I’m willing to try it,” all while plotting ways to spit said cauliflower into the trash without her noticing. God never says “Well … I guess I’m willing ….” No, God is God and He never has to choose the best of a bad lot. God’s purposes are only ever good; He’s always eager to fulfill those good purposes in a way that most glorifies Himself and most directly advances your Christlikeness.
Second, what does the Bible say about God’s desires?
When the New Testament uses the phrase, “the will of God,” it means something far more enthusiastic than our English translation connotes. It refers to God’s wholehearted, avid intentions. A little linguistic lesson might underscore this point. The Greek word “will” comes from the noun thelematos, which derives from the verb thelo. A few examples will demonstrate more eagerness than we might expect.
In Luke 23:8, Herod was happy to question Jesus because he “long desired [thelo]” to witness a miracle. Herod’s petulance doesn’t diminish the verbal force — he was eager to see Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 16:7 Paul says that his eager, hopeful desire was to spend extended time with the Corinthian believers. In Luke 5:12-13, the Leper said, “If you will [thelo], you can make me clean.” Poignantly and warmly, Jesus embraced that man and replied, “I am willing [thelo], be clean.” And instantly, the leprosy left that man. Now, the text doesn’t say it, but can you imagine Jesus saying these words without a big smile on his face?
The Romance languages, I think, best capture the sense of the eager gladness by which God wills. The Latin Vulgate, for example, employs the word voluntarius, from which we get the word “volunteer.” If you took high school Spanish, you may remember the phrase “la voluntad de Dios” — the voluntary, glad-hearted, eager will of God.
So, how should believers respond to the notion of God’s big-hearted purposes?
Restful Assurance
God works all things according to the counsel of His determined, earnest, omnipotent will (Eph. 1:11). God wills. God does. Then God rests (Gen. 1). Godliness, therefore, demands we model the same assured restfulness in God’s unchanging purposes. God, in fact, wants you to rest in His sovereign work rather than worry that momentary selfishness at an inopportune moment caused you to cascade precipitously away from His will (Col. 4:12). Introspection is good, but not at the expense of confidence in God’s sovereign working in your life. God is powerful enough to overcome your sinful frame. Take heart, “Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs the sinner in the way … Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will He instruct in the way that he should choose” (Psalm 25:8-12).
Satisfied Contentment
God occasionally communicates His will via prohibitions because He’s eager for you to experience something better than the thing He excludes. God’s says, for example, to flee sexual immorality (1 Thess. 4:3) so that we can enjoy the blessing of a marriage that pictures Christ’s covenant relationship and His church. Rather than fixating on everything outside the boundaries of God’s desires, pursue with all of your heart the relationship that God, in His goodness and eagerness, wants you to have. When we satisfy ourselves with the goodness of God’s provision, a tendency to embrace lesser alternatives transforms into joyful appreciation of God’s best choice for our lives. God’s glad-hearted ideal becomes so pleasant that we zealously protect it.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve accepted Christ as your Savior, you have an altogether new relationship with God. He’s your Lord and your Guide. And He’s infinitely ready to accomplish His purposes for your good and His glory. So go to God expecting a big-hearted welcome: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we might receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).
[Michael York’s recording comes from HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2000. Produced and Directed by John Runette and Rick Harris; mixed and mastered by Richard Romaniello.]
