Keeping Alignment

Reading the Gospel accounts you don't see Jesus as someone looking to leave His mark on the World. He is not someone who is drawing much attention to Himself. Yes, People are following Him but He says things that seem to purposefully drive them away at times. Then there are the accounts where He asks someone to keep quiet what He has done.

"And he asked them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Peter answered him, 'You are the Christ.' And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him." Mark 8:29-30 ESV

Here He was happy to let someone else get the credit for what He had done.

"Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, 'Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.' This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him." John 2:7-11 ESV

From a very early age as soon as we know that our action affect the World around us we delight in doing things that change the World. If one child pulls another child's hair and there is a reaction the child who does the hair pulling may laugh because they don't understand about causing other pain yet but they begin to see that what they do affects the World around them. Children may use crayons for that purpose also. Art at it's root is the production of something that imitates the beautiful or affects the perception of others. The artist makes a change it the World and that is gratifying. Children will draw all over the walls and floor leaving their mark.

Jesus used His will but not for change. He strove (if we can even say that) for alignment.

"In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God." Luke 6:12 ESV

He had that alignment and He kept it all the days of His life.

"And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one." John 17:11 ESV

"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me." John 17:20-21 ESV

I want the same alignment That Jesus has. Winning the World was Adams charge and saving the World was Jesus' charge. I don't have to do either one.

"He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.' " Acts 1:7-8 ESV

In prayer we can find the way to behold God's work and explain that work to others. Fulfilling that purpose brings a joy that can be found in nothing else.