ON THE VANGUARD

DO THE WILL!
“The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
I John 2:17

In 1995, the Pepsi owned beverage of Mountain Dew sponsored the first X-Games. It was at that time that a new slogan for the drink was made public, simply stating, “Do the Dew!” Whether the slogan increased sales or not I cannot say. But I can admit to the fact that I still cannot pass a can, bottle, or picture of this yellow drink without thinking to myself that I need to do the Dew. It has nothing to do with the fact of whether I enjoy the beverage or not, but everything to do with the fact that the slogan has been permanently etched in my head. I, however, would like to propose that we have a new slogan etched in its place. Instead of doing the Dew, let us “Do the Will!”
In I John 2:15 we are reminded to not love the world or anything of the world. In loving the world and its things, we work to fill a void that can only be filled by God Himself. Yes, there are many created things that will catch our eye, yet we are not supposed to be lured and caught by the ‘things’ but rather be wooed by their creator. The scenery, the smells, the feelings are all created by God to gain our attention and draw us to Him and into a relationship with Him that will last. It is then for this reason John continues in verse 17 that the world and its desires will pass away. The one who falls in love with God and does His will, however, will live. Therefore, we must “Do the Will!”
I have shared this thought before, but want to bring it to light again. Isaiah 59:19 reads, “So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” I remind you to consider this. In the original Hebrew there were never commas used. What if instead of the enemy coming in like a flood the verse really reads, “When the enemy shall come in, like a flood the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” This seems to make sense with what John is saying. Just like the enemy who has taken his stand to oppose us, so God has prepared a flood to wipe out the enemy. The one doing the will of God will be the one left standing after the flow of God’s flood sweeps through. This then encourages me once more to “Do the Will!”
As with each devotional I write, I can only encourage you. I cannot force you to make the changes I feel God urging me to make. But today I want to encourage you, almost to the point of twisting your arm, to truly consider the words John wrote in I John 2:15-17. Where does your love rest? Do you find yourself in love with the world and what it has to offer? Or do you find yourself in love with God and doing His will? Be careful how you answer this, because God knows the words you say in relation to the actions of your heart. If you are truly in love with God as opposed to the world, and doing His will above yours, then I salute you. You are Doing the Will. But if you find yourself more in love with the world and what it offers, I would encourage you to consider making a change. It is those who do His will that live forever. Maybe it is time to cut off your relationship with the world and “Do the Will!”