Editor’s letter

‘How do I know what God wants me to do?’ Have you ever asked that question?

Sometimes the decision God wants us to make is obvious, but discerning his will is by no means always straight-forward. And that’s despite the gifts he’s given us as guides – including his holy scriptures containing the lived example of Jesus, the wisdom of fellow Christians and the 24-hour, seven-day helpline of prayer.

Of course, for these godly guides to be of the greatest help, we have to draw on them frequently – not just when that big, agonising decision confronts us. That would be the equivalent of consulting the manual only when an appliance malfunctions. And, of course, none of us has ever done that, have we?

While editing The Lutheran is a task that more than one editor has said is good for your prayer life, I know I could do much, much better when it comes to constantly talking with God and seeking his wisdom. I’ve certainly been guilty of waiting until the challenge becomes overwhelming before asking him what I should do and calling out for his help.

It’s also important to remember that, unlike the Israelites of old, we don’t need a go-between to talk with God. While we have the Bible, that doesn’t replace a personal relationship with him.

It’s like any close relationship – including a marriage or a treasured friendship. The more you talk with one another and, more importantly, the more you listen to one another, the more you take notice of how the other person speaks and behaves, the more you will be in tune with one another’s needs, hopes and desires. The more you spend time in one another’s company, the better you’ll know and understand the other person’s will – for you and for your relationship.

God certainly wants us to know him better and be closer to him. He longs to hold our hands and lead us when we have questions, need to make choices and are challenged by conundrums.

In the following pages, I pray that you’ll be challenged and encouraged by stories from our Lutheran family about discerning the will of God. There are miss-steps as well as immense blessings in the journeys the writers share. As usual, we are also privileged to share good news from around our LCANZ, along with our regular columns, resources and devotional materials. And, for our print subscribers, you’ll find a bonus free copy of Border Crossings from LCA International Mission inside (digital subscribers can head to https://lcamission.org.au and find a digital copy under the Resources tab).

God bless your reading,

Lisa