Back in February, Statesman Editor Paul Bryant came by the church and visited with me about the amphitheatre and the Passion Play we were privileged to host Palm Sunday weekend.

It was a nice visit in which we talked about the play, the amphitheatre and some of the dreams of the congregation.

We have over 20 acres of land, few fiscal resources with which to develop it, and lots of questions.

One of the main issues to which we are sensitive is whether our plans coincide with God’s plans.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know if we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, if we are truly doing God’s will?

In our Bible- study group Sunday night, we touched on this very issue: “How do we know?” It’s simple: just listen! It’s an obvious over simplification!

Abraham was told to just pick up tent and go. God led him through many lands for many years, and Abraham was content to simply listen to God’s voice.

The implementation of the plan took time, and Abraham at times tried to help God along — and learned that God did not need any help, thank you very much.

And the plan unfolded, day by day, year by year, decade by decade.

Joseph had a weird dream, told his brothers about it and found himself in a pit, sold as a slave and made the servant boy of a very important person.

Through this, Joseph was put where he needed to be to fulfill God’s plans for His people.

Joseph listened and trusted the Spirit, and his whole family was reunited and supported in a beautiful and bountiful land.

Abraham and Joseph trusted the direction in which they were being led — all without questioning the methodology or the result. Some of us can learn a whole lot from these examples — for we might review our resources, examine the mission field (as we understand it) and imagine what the future might hold for us.

Based on this, we might make plans, set strategies, post goals and evaluators. Nothing is wrong with doing these things, but we must always remember to be listening, like Abraham and Joseph. As we do these activities, they need to be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

For the Holy Spirit is to be the driver, guider, sustainer, evaluator of all we do.We are called to let the Spirit be the source of what makes us do what we do. Then we don’t need to worry ourselves about the directions we are going. Then we don’t need to concern ourselves over what the future holds for us.

There will be no question whether we are aligned with God’s will or not.

So it does not matter whether the question comes from an individual, a patriarch of some large family, a single, poor farmer, a royal king or an entire country. We all need to do the same thing: listen to the groaning of the Spirit and let that be our guide.

May you this week clearly hear the voice of the One who loves you more than you can imagine, and wants, more than you know, to be your special advisor, to be your special friend, to be the One you consult, so you, like Abraham and Joseph and so many others, may reside in the midst of God’s will for you and be richly and abundantly blessed.

Prather is pastor of Lake Palestine United Methodist Church near Chandler.