Need to Know God's Will? Sumbibazw!

Hi Friends!

So today I'm thinking about what I might do next with my writing, and seeking God for wisdom and new vision, and I come across some notes about Acts 16:10 and a Greek word that my friend, Bill Risinger, shared with me from that verse. (And you know I LOVE New Testament Greek!). Anyway, I found the notes so helpful that I thought it would be fun to share them with yout too -- for anyone seeking God and desiring to following His will!

Well, in Acts 16, Paul and his group are going around the region of Phrygia and Galatia, while finding some places open to them and others that the Spirit is not allowing them to visit. Basically, Paul is trying to figure out where he should go and what he should do. Sound familiar? Don't we all need to figure out where God wants us to go and what He wants us to do? I do!

Then, in Acts 16:10, it says that Paul "sumbibazontes" (that's the Greek word - isn't it great?! You've got to say that one out loud! :-)) that God had called them to preach the good news in Macedonia. Sumbibazw (that's the simple verb form) doesn't just mean to decide on the one hand, or to "hear and obey" on the other. What it means is to "unite, bring together, hold together" to come to a conclusion.

I love that! Sumbibazw! Knowing what to do, seeking God's will, is not so much about making your own decisions NOR iis it about waiting for a direct command from God. It's about recognizing the things that God is doing in your life and bringing them together to determine the next step. It's about pulling together God's actions in all the parts of life and seeing how He is guiding you through it all. It's about being wise and discerning. It's about seeing the hand of God not just in prayer or Bible reading or church attendance (all of which are great), but in EVERY aspect of your life.

So, as you and I go about seeking God's will in our everyday lives, may we remember to sumbibazw! God is at work ... see Him. And in seeing Him, we'll sumbibazw what to do.