God's Will (Ch. 7, Question 1)

As many of my fellow JP Catholic students already know, or are figuring out, or will figure out (hopefully in the near future), our theology professor assigned a decent pile of reading for this week. When one is assigned so much homework, he/she tends to stop paying attention to what he/she is reading. For example, during my studies yesterday, I found myself at the end of some chapter in the Book of Exodus and realized that I had not been paying attention to the meaning of the words I had just read, which resulted in me having to go and read it again. (FYI, Lisa has just said, “Once upon a time, Andrea was doing her theology homework. When it came time to “blog”, she decided to clean her desk and then when she actually started writing, her first paragraph had nothing to do with anything at all.” I guess this means I should start writing something more useful and academic.)

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:1-2). This passage is taken from Genesis and for all of creation, it marks a crucial moment. For at this moment, God began to create the earth and all the inhabitants upon the earth including the animals, plants, and sea creatures. It was during this time that he also created mankind. He gave them dominion over the sea and the land and all its inhabitants. “…Have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth” (Gen. 1:28). From the dawn of creation, God has always had a plan for each individual that he brings into the world.

Throughout the Old Testament, God made this clear for us through the example of the early prophets. In Exodus 3, God chose Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Moses, at that time was in Midian, keeping his father-in-law’s flock. In this story, God called out to Moses from a burning bush. He then told Moses of his plan for the Israelites. “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land” (Gen. 3:7-8). He went on to say, “Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt” (Gen. 3:10).

In Exodus 4:1-17, Moses tried to convince God that he would not be able to free Israel. Moses first tried to convince God that the Israelites will not believe that the Lord appeared to him. God gave Moses two signs to show to the Israelites if they would not believe him and an additional sign if they would not believe after he showed the first two. Moses made a second excuse and said that he was not an eloquent speaker and that he was slow of speech and tongue. God told him that He would give him the guidance to know what he should say. Moses asked God to send another in his stead. Then God’s anger was “kindled against Moses” and He told him that Aaron (Moses’ brother) should go with him and that He Himself would speak through Moses and Aaron. Moses then went back to Egypt and through Moses, God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt towards the Promised Land.

In this story, God’s will was for Moses to lead the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. God has a plan for each of us as well. That is why he has brought each human being into the world; to fulfill his mission for us. I took a class third quarter of my freshman year in which the class read the Confessions of St. Augustine. In this book, St. Augustine wrote of his mother, St. Monica. She prayed for the conversion of her son her entire life. Shortly after his conversion, God ended her life. His will was for her to intercede for the soul of her son. Once he came back to God, God’s will for St. Monica was fulfilled.

More often than not, the path of God’s will is very difficult and is usually not without sacrifice, pain, and suffering. C.S. Lewis said, “We’re not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” However, if we always strive to follow the will of God, we can be assured that God will protect us under his wing.

In conclusion, God has a calling for each human being that he has created. His plan for Moses was to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. The road was long and difficult and there were many obstacles in their way. His plan for us may be difficult, but we must trust that he will lead us in the right direction and that he will protect us in the face of evil as he did for Moses and the Israelites.