Want to know God's will for your life?

You and I and the whole family of Christ-followers can:
· Be raised up in Christ
· Have perspective on why we are “here”
· Obey and to submit to Gods ways
· Produce good fruit
· Be unified in purpose and intent with other believers
· Be thankful
· Do everything as unto Christ.
– so much as it depends on each of us.

Those principles are outlined by the Apostle Paul in the first part of Colossians 3. The last part of the chapter explains how to live out the first part of the chapter as principles for family life:

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Much of this text reflects Paul’s letter to the Ephesians which also called for unity through mutual submission in relationships – to God and with each other. Now, be honest, many of us read this and we like parts of Paul’s commands and not others, as if our “fondness” for a given passage of Scripture is the point! And the fact is that Christ-followers often argue about how literally to apply those words.

Don’t get hung up in all that. The “how” to live in the unity he’s calling for boils down to three key points that work as a family plan -- for all successful relationships:
· Be born into the family of God – As a human, submit to your need for a savior. Submit to each other. Be courageous to be real – to be known and connected to others.
· Be parented – As a child of God, commit to obedience – to being guided, taught, disciplined always.
· Be a parent – As a mature believer, “reproduce” in all ways by nurturing others. Win hearts, not control battles. Be responsible, spiritually, for future generations.

There’s a cycle in those steps that parallels all of God’s Word. The whole of Scripture and through many “sub plots” follows this flow: Creation, Fall (failure), Discipline, Provision, Redemption, Re-creation.

Do you want to know what God’s will is for your life? There it is! Be born into the family of God and participate deeply. Be parented by seeking guidance, discipline, and growth. And be a parent by giving back what you’ve learned every chance you get!

Do more of all of these things. Everything else God desires for you will become much, much clearer if you major in these areas and focus on relationships. Invest your gifts in those pursuits, and your life will have seriously powerful Kingdom impact.

Isn’t that what you really want?