The Blind "I Will"

The Blind "I Will"

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." 

 (Matthew 1:20)

 Joseph married Mary, and even though an angel had appeared unto him in a dream telling him she was "with child" of the Holy Ghost, he must have been a little more shaky than usual when he slipped the ring on her finger.  After all, yes, he was a just and kind man; he was still a man, and this marriage vow was like no other in the history of the world  ...  it was "overshadowed," prophetic, miraculous, calculated from the beyond, preordained from a throne untold, and in Joseph's mind, this obedience of his had a veil of ethereal secrecy; it was Holy beyond measure; it was: The Blind "I Will." 

It was not the first or the last time that mankind's obedience to God would require a blind "I Will."  Noah built the Ark over a period of almost 100 years with nothing but an "I Will" from his own lips to goad him on; Abraham rose early and treacherously climbed the mountain to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac, with his own "I Will" from a trembling, foreboding obedient voice; David stood firm with just a young lad's slingshot before a growling looming Goliath, and an "I Will" in answer to the multitude of men, twice his size and age, who asked who would fight this giant.  The surrender of humble servants to the quest of Almighty God marches throughout the pages of the Bible, and ALL of them step forth with blind obeisance and faith in their God.

Joseph's Dream

Joseph will always be remembered as a brave and submissive man to the plan of the ages, draped in mystery, enveloped in Spirit, produced in aura, immersed in Glory, and sealed with two little words, "I Will." 

Joseph

The Lord Jesus Christ still asks that same question of His followers today, with even a more profound insistence:  "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14) 

Every answer to prayer, any prayer, requires an action on our part.  It is the law of God: We reap what we sow.  If we have a need, we give to another's need, to receive our need.  Remember the woman who only had enough meal for herself and her son, and the Prophet told her to make "him" a cake first?  Her answer was "I Will," and her need was provided. 

Do you have need of healing?  Have you dipped seven times?  You say, "What are you talking about?"  I'm talking about Prayer and Obedience, which result in answer and deliverance.  Maybe it will require going through a prayer line, having hands laid on you; giving to someone else who is losing their home to save your own home.  You say, "I've never heard of such a thing!"  It's all through the Books of the Bible: Jesus told the ten lepers, "Go show yourself to the priest," and as they were going, they were healed; To the lame man, "Rise up and walk," in his trying to rise, he was healed; To the blind man after mud was placed in his eyes, "What do you see?"  As he was trying to see, he began to see.  It's always, "If You will, I will," from the eternal God.  

The bottom line:  Mary said it once, "Whatever He says to you, do it."  There had to be gathering of water pots, and filling them with water, for the miracle of the wine!  

O, Joseph, your "I Will" was more than a marriage vow, more than an agreement to wed, more than a commitment of forever; it was the greatest example of faith and trust ever told.  It was obedience at its finest; it was the sacrifice that brought "THE sacrifice."

Joseph

"Nobody told me that the road would be easy  ... I don't believe He brought me this far; I don't believe He brought me this far, to leave me."  Ah, the strains of the old song that ever keeps us going, when we're groping around in the dark trying to find the way out  ...  When the tunnel seems so dark that the light at the end is a pinhole  ... When we follow without a clue; we march with only the sound of the thud of our boots; we proceed with only the lingerings of a dream; we step out into nothingness with faith as our platform; we proclaim and pronounce with the echo of the Word of God as our prod  ...  

We follow, Lord Jesus; we obey and surrender our own will for the will of Almighty God.  Faith is:  "Taking a hand full of nothing and holding on until it's something," as a very wise man says continually.  Lord, You don't always reveal the road ahead; sometimes You just say "Trust Me;" sometimes, You say nothing at all; sometimes You just hold us; sometimes You say, "Come unto Me, weary one;" sometimes  ... 

Dear Jesus, we give you our all, we surrender; we know You have never left us, nor forsaken us; so our love for you is draped in our word to You that we will never leave You nor forsake You; after all, it IS Your Birthday!  Happy Birthday, Jesus!  Our present is wrapped in Love; and we offer the words You ever long to hear, as we follow, follow, follow: The Blind "I Will." 

 

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)