Dairy Queen...or Root Canal?(Part 4)

This MAY be the last in my August 7 Streams in the Desert series - or there may be one more. I've covered verses 1 and 3 and 4 in past blogs (click on the numbers if you need to catch up), and today, I'm blogging on the fifth verse. We'll see if the second verse grabs me and motivates more thoughts in the near future.

1Has He purified you with the fire from above?
2Is He first in your thoughts, does He have all your love?
3Is His service your choice, and your sacrifice sweet?
4Is your doing His will both your drink and your meat?
5Do you run at His calling with glad eager feet?
(Streams in the Desert, L. B. Cowman, August 7)


I have very long legs (I'm more leg than just about anything), and as a consequence, I have a very long stride. Add this to the fact that I am a naturally fast walker (and talker - but that's probably for another post!), and I'm sure you can guess that I often leave other folks behind when I'm traveling anywhere by foot. The same thing happens, for some reason, in the car (and I have the history of speeding tickets to prove it :( ).

Yet, it all depends on my destination. If I'm heading toward the dentist for, say, a root canal, I can be as slow as (or slower than) a slug. But if it's Dairy Queen that's my target, get outta my way.

Yet, sometimes God's will for me feels more like a root canal than Dairy Queen. "Lord, do I have to be kind to that woman who insulted me?" "Is punishing my child really Your will for me?" "Is submitting to my husband truly necessary?" It is at times like this that I will often plod in His direction rather than taking my full stride--if I head in his direction at all.

Yet, this is not what the Lord wants from me. He wants me to do his will, and do it with eagerness and gladness.

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
"Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52:7 NIV

When we run to do His will, it makes our feet beautiful, and our offering pleasing in His sight.
Even in our own suffering, we are to do His will with joy.

Out of the most severe trial, their (the Macedonians) overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 2 Corinthians 8:2 NIV

Is this how you approach God's will for you, no matter the sacrifice to yourself? I'll admit that I'm trying (much of the time, anyway), but do not succeed every time. I do know, however, that the Lord wants me to "run at His calling with glad eager feet:" to approach him like Dairy Queen instead of a root canal.

Heavenly Father, help me to seek Your will for my life, and to pursue it with joy and happy anticipation. I know that any struggles I may go through is for Your good, and that my eagerness to do Your will grow each day, and will be a pleasant aroma of offering to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen