January 22

Dislocated Limbs

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. — Heb 13:20-21 BSB

The Greek word translated as "perfect" here actually means "to put in joint, to complete." In the original creation, man's will was meant to be in perfect alignment with God's will, simply saying "Yes" to it and passing divine impulses and commands to the rest of our being. Imagine a ship captain quietly issuing orders to a subordinate officer, who in turn relays them loudly through a speaking tube. That subordinate represents the will, designed to receive its orders from the Will of God and direct them throughout our being. This was the attitude of Jesus throughout His earthly life: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me"; "I seek not My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me"; "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

In the Fall, this harmonious relationship between God's will and man's will was disordered. Instead of obeying God, the human will began following the desires of the flesh. "Not what God wills, but what I will" became the dominant principle for most of humanity. As a result, the will has become dislocated, warped, and out of joint. Tennyson wrote, "Our wills are ours to make them Thine!"—but many of us find our wills too stubborn to manage. This is where we must turn to the "God of Peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus."

Sometimes in sports, a player may fall and dislocate a shoulder. Though still attached, the arm hangs useless until a doctor forces it back into place. Similarly, we are in the Body of Christ by redeeming grace, but we need to be "set"—to be brought into alignment with God's will. Let us ask the great Surgeon of souls to put our wayward wills back in joint with the Will of God and to work in us what is pleasing in His sight.

Prayer

Gracious Father, I yield to You my will and desires, my body, mind, and spirit. Perfect in me all that concerns me. Amen.