Will Floating

In John 6:38, Jesus says, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." The Greek word thelema is rich. It has many nuances. It includes determination, choice, volition, purpose. decree, desire, pleasure, and will. It is interesting that at times we feel we have no control over our lives, and at other times we feel we have all control over our lives. Freedom of will is hard to understand. What are the limits (if there are any) of God's control? How might we be controlled by others either benevolently or malevolently? It seems clear to me that no person is in absolute control of their own lives. He live in the midst of competing currents, all of which have some effect on our lives. It is interesting to see how "will" is talked about just in the book of John.

1:13, We are told that children of God are born not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. New birth is a product of God's will. In John 3, Jesus says flesh gives birth to flesh and Spirit gives birth to spirit.
4:34, Jesus says His food is to do the will of Him who sent Him and to accomplish His work. The will of God sustained Jesus just as food does the body.
5:30, "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I heard, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me." God's will controlled Jesus' perceptions and judgments and discernment.
7:17, "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself." Being able to discern truth from lies demands we seek His will above the will of any other.

Imagine that the will of God is like a fast moving river, strong and mighty. Along the edges are other currents that swirl and connect with the main current in the center of the river, the will of God. We have several options as we interact with this river. We may stand on the bank and be observers. We may sit on the edge and feel the effects of the eddies along the bank. We might even wade out a ways from the bank and experience the tug of lesser currents, and begin to feel the tug of the central current. We could even wade, under our own strength, into the center and be knocked over by the will of God and go tumbling and bumbling down the river. Or, we can choose to lie on our backs, relax and float down the river, allowing the will of God to take us where it will. This takes great discernment since much passes for the will of God which is only the will of a man or group of men. But, once we know the will of God we must decide to allow this will to move us along through live and control our direction and destination. FLOAT!