Will of God

But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day ... He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:
~ Luke 6:11-13 (NKJV)

And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.
~ 1 Samuel 15:11 (NKJV)

... present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service ... that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
~ Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)

Can we agree that God's love and wisdom qualifies the will of God as both sovereign to and more beneficial than our own? It then seems prudent for us to know the will of God—but knowing the mind of the Lord comes with a cost.

The cost is ultimately our lives. The sacrifice of a martyr, whose earthly life is quenched for God's sake, is of inestimable worth. So is the sacrifice of the disciple who lays down one's life and will for God every day. And a living sacrifice doesn't stay on the altar for comfort.

That Samuel spent an entire night in prayer hints that understanding God's heart sustained him more than sleep did. Jesus Himself—God in the flesh submitting Himself to the necessity of sleep!—forfeited a night's rest for body to have rest of soul when choosing the men who would first experience hostility for the sake of the Gospel.

Sleep is good and necessary. So is rising early to seek the will of God for the day.

Heavenly Father, Your goodness gives us rest of body in sleep, and rest of soul in being alert to Your good and acceptable and perfect will. Please give us strength of body in sacrifice to You, wisdom to care for the body which is Your temple, and victory to awaken early and seek Your face and will.

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