Monday Morning Devotion-September 7, 2020

WHWH

I do not seek my own will but the will of Him who sent me.  John 5:30

            WWJD!  Remember when you used to see those initials in lots of places?  They were on

T-shirts, Sweat-shirts, sneakers, bracelets, and others.  People of Faith°that's us°

acknowledged them as a motto for living.

            Yes, WWJD which stands for What Would Jesus Do is something that we should ask ourselves daily in all of our endeavors.  I don't want to say that WWJD was a fad, like say the pet rock or Nehru jackets or any of the "hot" items of the day because the thinking behind it is too important.  Even though WWJD might not be advertised on various for-sale items as much as it was in the past the meaning behind the phrase it embodies is just as important as it ever was. 

            Obviously, there is an important follow-up to asking the WWJD question.  It's when we get the answer and then we are called on to do it. When we figure out what Jesus would do, we have the guidelines for what we should do.

            All that being said here's another thing to think about.  Let's face it.  In these difficult times we need all the help we can get so let's consider WHWH.  Not an original idea that I came up with but one I came across in Dr. Charles Stanley's daily devotions.  Well I did have the idea of using the initials like we did with WWJD and Dr. Stanley provided the basis for it.   Here's what he wrote:

            1) WHAT do you want me to do?  God desires to reveal His will to you, so ask Him to show you His goals for the day.  Be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and trust Him to guide you.

            2) HOW do you want me to act?  For everything that God desires to accomplish, He has a plan that is detailed and specific.  Ask Him how to proceed with the objectives He has given you.

            3) WHEN do you want me to act?  We often fail because we get ahead of God, so ask Him to help you stay on His schedule.

            4) HOW can I best represent you today?  The Lord will work through you to influence others, so ask Him to mold you into an even greater likeness of Christ as you carry out His will.

            Definitely food for thought in those four questions.  It is through those that we will seek and find the Lord.  For as God told the prophet Jeremiah (29:13) "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the Lord."

            Practicing WHWH is especially important when times are tough.  We are living in an unprecedented era.  Because of the coronavirus the world is faced with a huge battle that we are uncertain how to fight. 

            As we do our parts individually it all starts with keeping the faith and following the WHWH formula step by step.  That way the battle against this giant problem will be won.

            1 Samuel 17:47: The battle is the Lord's and He will give you into our hands.

            This is the assurance little David had when he faced off against the giant Goliath.  Because he was confident that he was doing God's will David was not afraid and we should follow his example.  Not shrinking from the challenge David confidently confronted the giant.  He realized that giant stood in opposition to the Lord, And since David realized that the giant was God's enemy he knew the battle was his. (Jesus Our Perfect Hope, September 3)

            God led David into this seeming impossible situation and God gave him the way to be victorious.  I remember the comedian Brother Dave Gardner describing the weapon that God gave to David to win the battle.  "Little David reached into his sheepskin bag and said 'Where's my smooth round river rock?"  That's what he had: a rock and a slingshot.  And with those simple items he felled the Giant.

            Seeking out more information about this incredible disadvantage that David had,  I read that it was estimated that Goliath was 9 feet 9 inches tall.   Conversely, David, who was just a young lad, stood 4 feet 8-inches tall.  (those are guess-timates, but they work for our purposes).

            David proved that a Giant could not stand up to the Mighty Warrior who was his God.   His faith in God made him a mighty warrior, too.  David wrote in Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer.  My God is my rock in whom I take refuge.  He is my shield, the strength of my salvation and my stronghold.

            We have the same Mighty Warrior working for us to win out against our giant problems no matter what they are.

            Dr. Stanley closes his devotion with this advice after you put the WHWH principle into motion: "Listen closely for God's answers to your questions and then begin to act.  In this way you know you are making the most of your day." 

            And I might add, making the most of your life!

Prayer: Lord, we do face giant problems in our life.  Thank you for always being there to guide us and help us slay the giants.  Amen!