Doing What the Father Is Doing

The Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does (John 5:19, NLT, Jesus speaking).

As children of God and imitators of Him (Ephesians 5:1, RSV); as younger siblings of Jesus (Hebrews 2:11; Romans 8:29), we, too, set our sights on doing only what we see the Father doing. Out and about in the everyday things of life, if we keep our spiritual eyes open, we will see what God is “doing” and therefore know what He wants us to do. Sometimes I think of it this way: I say to myself, Can I see God doing this? No, I can’t see Him responding that way. Or—Can I see God wanting me to do this right now? Yes. Okay, then I’d better do it.

In another way, it’s like looking ahead toward something I think God may be asking of me at the moment, say like offering to pray for this person right now that has come across my path. It’s almost like I can see faint footsteps ahead of me, God’s footprints into that situation, and I see that He wants me to go that way, fitting my feet into the impressions He has already made. “For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us, (taking paths which He prepared ahead of time) that we should walk in them . . .” (Ephesians 2:10, AMP).

Here is an example:

One day I was shopping in a large department store. It suddenly came to mind that about a year ago at this time, in this same aisle, I had run into a Native girl who had been in the class on purity that I’d taught the previous spring down on the reserve. Her name is not pronounced quite the way it’s spelled, and as I scrambled mentally to greet her by name, I hadn’t got it quite right. Still, she’d seemed pleased that I remembered her, and that was an encouragement, because she had been one tough case in class. So rebellious, absolutely impossible to deal with—impossible, that is, until I’d got a team of intercessors praying specifically against rebellion. So here I was in the same store, a year after last seeing her, thinking of her. Now, how do you pronounce her name? the Lord seemed to ask. So I thought it through, reminding myself.

The next day I was in a clothing store. By the time I came to the till with my purchase, I was aware that the salesgirl was all alone in the store. I also had a hunch that she had a bad case of menstrual cramps. I turned away from the till for a moment and found myself looking into the face of the aforementioned Native girl. “Hi, Dianna,” I said, being careful to pronounce it “Deanna.” She looked as pleased as punch to be remembered, and we chatted for a few minutes, albeit a little awkwardly. Then she excused herself. I was warmed and amazed by the realization that God had set me up for this a day earlier so that I would get her name right. And this experience rekindled a desire to be sensitive to my heavenly Father's voice.

I turned back to the clerk. No, she definitely was not feeling well.

You could offer to pray for her.

Oh, Lord! That would be weird.

“It looks like you’re run off your feet here,” I said.

“Yeah, I’m the only one here today. I got some food—” she waved at a McDonald’s bag, “but it’s completely cold now.”

“And you don’t look like you’re feeling too well either.”

She shook her head mournfully.

You could offer to pray for her.

Oh, Lord!

“Got a belly-ache?”

She nodded.

“Would you like me to say a little prayer for you? Or if you’re not comfortable with that, I could just pray for you after I leave.”

“No, that would be really nice.”

She bowed her head and folded her hands.

After asking her first name, I lifted her troubles up to the Lord, boldly asking Him to touch her with His healing virtue. “And, Lord,” I added, “please reveal Your love to her.”

Then I gathered my things and fled toward the door.

“Thank you so much!” she called after me.

Her gratitude and God’s pleasure warmed me like sunshine and completely overshadowed the awkwardness I’d felt. Now I felt strengthened, nourished, sustained.

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me . . .” (John 4:34, NIV).