God’s Agenda

I’ve been meditating a lot lately on the subject of agendas and how critical it is for us to be in agreement with each other in conversation and in communion with God on what our agenda is. What we usually mean is what is the purpose or reason for being in this conversation. This is usually informally negotiated. In business meetings, agendas are formally decided. God however, sometimes honors our agenda in journaling. Sometimes He has his own agenda. Take the following story for example:

And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd. And it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.” But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.” (Lk. 8:19-21)

In this case Jesus’ family had an agenda, which those near him accepted, but Jesus himself did not. Using the superficial subject matter of “mother and brothers” as a hinge, he changed the direction of the conversation in a way that in most cases for us would be considered verbal villainy! Why was it OK for Jesus? First, his spiritual authority gave him the right to use that authority to move in a surprising direction for teaching purposes. Secondly, in this context, Jesus was already in control of the agenda of the gathering, being the teacher in charge. Was it rude to his family to go against their agenda? Here we see Jesus’ wisdom in engaging a conflict. For the conflict was initiated by them, not Jesus. Why do I say that? Because he had an agenda already in process – teaching. Their request was a request to change directions and make their priority his priority. Jesus’ answer is that given the choice between the two, he values spiritual family first.

So I was meditating recently on Romans 8:28. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Although I wasn’t thinking about it at the time, this verse is actually about God’s Agenda (with a big A) in in the earth. The question I wanted to ask the Lord this verse is whether the working together for good is by design specially for them, or whether it is merely so because of their interpretive capacity.

I am good. I am goodness embodied. I am the realization and the source of all that is good. I am. That is my nature, to do good and to bless. To build up and to establish. That is my intent in everything, and only that which opposes my intent in the earth is the object of my disfavor. So those who are called according to that very purpose are those who can sense and cooperate with that good purpose and those good plans and enjoy the good fruit of the good thing that I am doing. Others can benefit, and it of course is all meant for the bringing of many into the fold of the family, so the blessings are meant to be spread far and wide, but not all understand, not all have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying and doing. So the blessings are most especially for my children, for my family, for them to catch the wind of what I am doing, so see the signs before the world does, and to join in with me as part of the firstfruits of the thing which I am doing. When they see this, they benefit personally, corporately, and they are better poised to bring that blessing – which is the enlargement of my territory – to others who do not see, who do not yet understand. This is how the Kingdom grows, through the wise application of my actions in the earth for the strengthening of that intent.

Now that’s a powerful Agenda! From the perspective of conversational agendas, did God honor my question or not? At first when I read over His response I thought not. But upon further reflection I realized He actually did. “So the blessings are most especially for my children.” Yet at the same time, we as God’s children “can sense and cooperate with that good purpose.” That’s really cool, since it’s a both/and. But it is also clear that to explain that, God had to widen the lens for me, to see His larger purpose. And that strikes me as totally in line with God’s nature – to broaden our perspective on whatever we are talking about with Him. Another biblical example will illustrate:

As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:1-3) 

Here Jesus does not change the agenda, but he does answer outside the paradigm of the disciples. May you let God constantly blow your paradigms, stretch you, and remould you in His image.