I found myself thinking of the Crusades again yesterday.  There was a great passage in The Boy Knight by Henty that explained them.

And I wondered how much we as individuals, as well as local churches, make the same error.

We think we know what God wants.

We proceed with great force.  

Some totally depending on and trusting in God

Again .  

Well, that was a mess, so we try again.

With a different tactic, a different set of people, a different "heart"

Thousands of people died, some totally relying on God to provide them food, shelter and success as they were doing God's work reclaiming the holy land from the infidel.

Then hundreds of thousands died.

And though there were some brief successes, they failed..  miserably.

While I honestly believe that there are times we are being obedient to God, but His plan is not for what we would deem "success", I wonder if there are areas in our lives, or the our lives as the church, that we are using the Lord as an excuse for our own agenda.  Or we sincerely think we know the Father's world, but we are so sincerely wrong.

How are joy is devesated , how our strength is sapped and bitterness creeps in when we labor so completely in the Lord's name (sincerely or not) but are not truly walking in His ways.

 May He grant us eyes and hearts to see Him.  And His way. And may His joy be truly our strength.

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

-- 

Monique