We read the story in Luke 15 as told by Jesus during His ministry. Without question the story was intended to show us our heavenly Father’s willingness to forgive us, but I also see in the story the need for proper positive resolve in our lives.

Sometimes we may be foolish in our decisions and fickle in our commitments as were both the sons in Matthew 21 :28-30. When the father told his sons to go work in the vineyard, one son said he would go, but did not. He was not faithful to do what he said he would do. The other son said that he would not go, but afterward apparently decided it was the right thing to do to obey his father and he went. It is important that we make the proper commitments and then faithfully fulfill them.

Moses was reluctant to return to Egypt when God instructed him to do so. He felt inadequate and unprepared to stand before Pharaoh and demand freedom for the Hebrew slaves. His first response was “Who am I?” We can only imagine the thoughts that must have crossed his mind. Would there be any still living who would recognize him as the one who killed an Egyptian and buried him in the sand 40 years before? Would anyone know that he was the one that the daughter of the then ruling Pharaoh had adopted? But eventually after his rod changed into a serpent and back again, and his hand was made leprous and then well, and after the assurance that Almighty God gave to him, his resolve was “I will do it. I will.” It required boldness, perseverance and determination but He allowed God to work through him and he led the Hebrews out of Egypt, through the sea and the wilderness and to the border of the promised land before he died.

Sometimes we, like Moses, may be hesitant and slow to do what God asks us to do. How long was it after you knew you should be baptized before you obeyed the gospel? But let us, once we surrender our will to that of our Maker, diligently and faithfully serve Him even until death.

It was Isaiah who instantly answered God’s call without hesitation or reservation. When God needed a messenger to proclaim His will to the people of Israel He said, “Whom shall I send?” and Isaiah responded. “Here am I. Send me.” And what a messenger he was with all his prophecies of a coming Messiah! Faithful? Oh, yes, we believe that he is one of the faithful mentioned in Hebrews 11 who were sawn in two.

David was another good example. When Goliath, the Philistine giant dared any man of Israel to fight him, the shepherd boy David with unquestionable faith in God volunteered “I will do it. I will.”

There are many examples in the Scriptures regarding noble resolve. Do not forget Esther. She knew that anyone who approached the throne of the king without invitation was subject to death, and though she was his wife that Persian law applied to her also. And what strategy could she use to convince the king of the awful plot of Haman, who was a friend of the king, and reveal to the king Haman’s devilish intent for the genocide of her people throughout the Persian empire without arousing her husband’s wrath toward her? With the encouragement of Mordecai, she made the proper decision. “I will go to the king, which is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” She must have thought within herself. “ I will do it. I will.” And God used her for the preservation of the Hebrew people, through which our Savior was born.

But no example in all the world equals the example of our Lord Himself. The trials and temptations that He was called upon to endure are almost beyond our comprehension, forty days of fasting and then having to confront the devil himself, constantly being misunderstood, accused and abused by the people, denied and betrayed by men He had taught, and finally being crucified for our sins, when at any time He could have called for twelve legions of angels to deliver Him. But no, He came to die for our sins and make possible salvation for as many as would obey Him. His had to be the most difficult mission anyone has ever had, but He Willingly died to save our souls from hell. It was not easy. He had to have the resolve, “I will do it. I will.”

The Christian life involves a complete surrender to the Lord, obedience, being faithful in the hour of temptation or persecution, yes even unto death. Let us resolve, “I will do it. I will.”