According To Pattern
When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, there was a particular sentence of the prayer that resonates throughout the Bible, and that is the part where He said: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. God desires for His will to be done on earth. That is why He put man on the earth, that he may replicate God on the earth. God made man in His image and likeness and put him on the earth to “be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth and subdue it”. This was the task of the first family, which has been handed down through the ages. God had a master plan for how this was to play out. Although the devil came with a distraction, God already had the solution, as the lamb was slain before the foundations of the earth. Knowing, therefore, the fact that God is Alpha and Omega, we ought to give attention to what He says, especially when He said:
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”. Jer. 29:11 NLT
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Jer. 1:5 NLT
“You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed”. Ps. 139: 16 NLT
Reading through the old testament laws in the first five books of the Bible, you will find detailed instructions about how the Israelites were expected to live. Everything is enumerated in great detail. While the laws are no longer binding on us today, because we are in the dispensation of grace, it is still good to study them, as it gives us an idea of God’s thoughts and intentions, not looking at the letter nut the spirit of the laws.
Today, we are expected to be imitators of Christ Jesus, and the Holy Spirit helps and guides us in this journey. The Bible says as He was, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17).
Going back to the Old Testament, when God gave Moses instructions to build the tabernacle, we find that God was very specific. He gave Moses very detailed instructions on what to build, how to build it, materials to use and also warned Moses:
“You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.” Exodus 25: 9
“Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.” Exodus 25: 40
To support His instructions, God gave details on measurements and quantities. He also anointed workers specifically for the purpose of the building. See Exodus 31: 1-11 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=exodus+31%3A+1-11&version=NLT
In the same way, God has a plan for each of our lives and He expects us to live according to the pattern and plan He has for us. Moses got the plan of the tabernacle from his time on the mountain with God. The same applies to us today. We are required to go up the mountain (seek God), to find out what His plans are for our lives, so that we can follow it.
As we commune with God and ask Him about our lives, He reveals His plans step by step, little by little. Ordinarily, we would expect to get the full plan at once, to save us from all the worry and stress of not knowing tomorrow. However, our Heavenly Father will only show us what we need per time. Like He said to the Israelites,
29 “But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals would multiply and threaten you. 30 I will drive them out a little at a time until your population has increased enough to take possession of the land.” Exodus 23:29-30 NLT
Depending on God on a daily basis promotes intimacy with Him and helps us trust Him more as we see His plans unfolding in our lives. It was this type of dependence that gave David the audacity to confront Goliath. The same applies to the three Hebrew boys in Babylon, who refused to bow to the golden statue. Recall what they said:
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” Daniel 3: 16-18 NLT
I believe this year, God wants us to love him and trust Him like never before. He is drawing us closer to Himself so that we can accurately discern what He wants to do in us and through us. He has a plan and a pattern, which we can only acquire in His presence. This is what will make 2020 the phenomenal year that we so anticipate it will be!
This is the year to seek Him with all of our hearts, so that we can be insiders and not bystanders in the move of God in this season. He calls us to a deeper walk with Him, a closer walk, a more intimate walk. So, as the year progresses, it is good to know what matters most and prioritise accordingly, before we get carried away with life happening. We are Jacob, the generation that seeks God! (Ps.24:6 NKJV)