Jesus said as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:39) When Jesus came to earth it was to carry out the will of His Father in heaven in the redemptive process God planned for sinful man. He spent His entire effort in preaching to ascertain He was indeed God come down to earth. In all His undertakings He emphasized He was bringing the message of God, the very God the Jews had worshiped from the days of Abraham. "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 5:30) 
 
By His very actions he taught sacrificial love eloquently (Philippians 2:5-8). And Paul uses His example to teach us the very same attitude (Philippians 2:1-4). When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, His reply was …..And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' "This is the great and foremost commandment. "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' (Matthew 22:37-39) He explained these two commands are the very heart of the teaching of God for mankind. Jesus is trying to teach us what a righteous God values most. 
 
John teaches us in his first epistle that God is love (1 John 4:8). Paul tells us His love is what led Him to the merciful extension of His grace to save us through the great offering of His only Son (Ephesians 2:4,5). 
 
It is as we reflect on Jesus' prayer in the Garden, we see how God's great love is the impetus of His will for mankind. This love is so powerful He was willing to pay the enormous price of the suffering of Jesus to redeem us for Himself. That is, to purchase us from damnation to righteousness to achieve a reconciliation between sinful man and his Creator (Romans 3:24-26; Colossians 1:13,14; 2 Corinthians 5:17ff). 
 
In light of this knowledge, which is not a new thing to most of the world, how can we not revere Him and His will to the extent Jesus did, in that we would give all, including mortal life to preserve and carry it out. 
 
Yet we live in a world where people are so concerned about this temporal mortality they spend a fortune on enhancements of appearance, pleasurable living, the search of the greatest sensuality they can find, instead of concerning themselves with first their salvation from sin and that of others so they may enjoy the heavenly inheritance in His presence. 
 
Far too many are not taking care to faithfully and truthfully worship God (John 4:23,24). Those who claim to worship God often demonstrate little to no concern about leading others to obedience to His will. The reality is most simply do not care one way or the other about the will of God. 
 
His will is that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). That occurs when we believe in Jesus. When we believe in Jesus we will truly seek the will of God as He did, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 6:38) While He is patient, He is also righteous and will not tolerate unrighteousness. Therefore, His wrath will come to those who reject His will by rejecting His Son. (2 Pet. 3:10; John 3:36) 

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Jim Stauffer