But we can do this in two ways: with joy, or with complaining. Have you ever heard someone say something to the effect that the Ten Commandments, or God, because of the Commandments, is a kill-joy? They are simply unrepentant in their desire to fulfill their own wills in their own way and time. They are refusing to obey the Creator. While we may not go this far, there is a part of us that grumbles over having to be obedient. As they traveled from Egypt, Israel complained and doubted the will of God. We can imagine them asking, What purpose does it serve to walk from Egypt to the Promised Land through this forsaken desert? These may not be our words, but they are not far from the sentiment that can fill our hearts.
The will of God is good. Until we truly believe that, we will have problems doing the will of God. In Titus 2:12, Paul wrote "teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age." Do we doubt the truth of this statement? God's will is good and is the way to salvation, as by faith we love our good God, in obedience, from a heart of joy and thankfulness. Doubt and complaining are unbelief as much as outright denial is.
The Catechism continues with the place of our obedience. This joyful obedience is to be taken into all the earth as we live. In times gone by, the work of the farmer, the tinker, and the cooper were looked at as callings as much as the pastorate was a calling. This concept has come into our vocabulary as the word "vocation." As Christians, are we in prayer for the grace to carry out the tasks before us in our various jobs in a way that shows to one and all that we are Christ's followers? What of the other offices that we have: father, mother, elder, or whatever? The tricky part comes when we are in a position that is not to our liking. The job is not fulfilling or there is conflict. Is our desire to continue in the place Christ has placed us, or is our desire to get out of the discomfort by changing jobs, by avoiding conflict, or by leaving a congregation? The list could go on and on, couldn't it?
Faithfulness with willingness has become something of a rare thing. The Puritan work ethic-working hard as unto Christ-is rapidly disappearing from our society. Do we live contrary to society's trend by working with joy and faithfulness? Our example here is that of the angels. Read the book of Revelation and see if the angels willingly and faithfully do the will of our great and perfect God.
Our prayers need to be in accord with the will of God, for in Romans 8:27 we have the Spirit interceding for us "according to the will of God." We are to give thanks, for this is the will of God, according to Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Peter is also in on this idea in 1 Peter 4:1-2. Christ suffered for us, so we need to have the same mind as Christ. He prayed that the Father's will be done, not His own. What of our prayers? Are they for the lusts of men or for the will of our wondrous God and Savior?
When it comes to our prayers, may our God "make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever" (Heb. 13:21). May our prayers be transformed in this new year as our minds are transformed, that we "may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12:2b).
