The Will Of God Towards Us

 

The will of God towards everyone of us is good.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Tuesday of 2nd Week of Advent, December 12th, 2023
Texts: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 96:1-3,10-13; Matthew 18:12-14 

Jesus Christ communicates to us, today, the will of God towards us. He says, “So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." The will of God towards everyone of us is good. He searches for us when we are lost. This also challenges us to work for the good of everyone. We are to join God to save the human race.  

One of things God does to show His good will towards us is to pardon our iniquities. He pardons our sins to reunite us with Himself and with one another. This is clear in today’s first reading. We read, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned”.  

God encourages to do good by His justice

God also shows His good will by His justice, paying us according to our works. We read, “Behold, the  Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.” If the wicked and the good receive the same reward, the good will have no actionable value.

The justice of God assigns blessing for good and curse for evil; good is rewarding while evil is destructive. Hence, by His justice He gives us reason to do good and avoid evil. He is just to encourage us to do good, that we might not be lost. 

He will feed his flock like a shepherd

The good will of God also manifests in His loving care for us. We read, “He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” If God has no good will towards us, He will not care for us. He cares for us because of His good will towards us.  

Ensuring that His good tidings reach everyone is a manifestation of His good will. This is because it is through the good tidings that He teaches us the way of salvation. Hence, He commands the heralds of His good tidings to proclaim them. He says, “Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings”. 

Prayer  

O God, who have shown forth your salvation to all the ends of the earth, grant, we pray, that we may look forward in joy to the glorious Nativity of Christ. Amen (Collect) 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke