Thy Will be Done on
Earth as it is in Heaven
-
Matthew 6:10
The
God-centeredness of this amazing prayer continues with a phrase that was such
an integral dimension of our Lord’s life and mission. Listen to a sampling of His submission. “My
food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish his
work.” (John 4:34) “For I have come down from heaven not
to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me.” (John 6:38) “My Father, if it is possible,
may this cup be taken from me. Yet
not as I will, but as you will.”
He went away a second time
and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your
will be done.” (Matthew 26:39,42) These passages clearly show how
passionately the Lord was about doing his Father’s business, and in this
prescribed petition He urges all Christ-followers to pray in the same way.
In
I John, the book of blessed assurance, John underscores a reinforcement of this
teaching. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to
His will He hears us. And if we
know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of
Him.” (I John 5:14-15) Yet
there are those who want to use this phrase as a means of manipulation in
attempting to get their own selfish way for all their wants. But His integrity won’t let anyone. get
by with such behavior. The key is
to pray according to His perfect will with a submission that accepts a yes, no,
or wait answer. Self must never be
allowed to determine the Almighty’s response, for only He, in His omniscience,
is capable of discerning what that perfect good is for us at the time. The Apostle James makes this even
clearer. “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that
city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ . . . Instead, you
ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will do this or that.”
Although
most of us, as Christ-followers, have grown spiritually more in the midst of
crisis than during times of prosperity, it still is tempting to pray “Thy will
be changed.” rather than “Thy will be done.” But, Dante was correct when he said, “In his will is our
peace.” and Tennyson rightly added, “Our wills are ours, we know not how; our
wills are ours, to make them Thine.” The wisdom of C.S. Lewis may be the
most perceptive of all when he said,
“There are, in the end, only two
kinds of people: those who have
said to God, ‘Your will be done.’
and those to whom God has said, ‘Your will be done.’
Paul’s
amazing words may give the best conclusion on the discussion of this
petition. In writing to the
Thessalonians he stated, “In everything give thanks for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Here gratitude is not FOR everything but IN everything,
and the difference is most significant.
Our God is able to bring good and victory out of the most severe trial
and tragedy, so we need to see His hand of guidance when viewing both the
mountain and the valley.
Song: If I ask for things that I should
not ask for, if I pray for things selfishly,
If
I ask for myself, but not for my neighbors, lift this veil from my eyes, let me
see.
Not my
will, thine be done, prayed Jesus. May the same prayer be mine every day.
When
this robe of flesh, that I wear, makes me falter, guide my steps, hold my hand
all the way.
copyright by Dr. Dave Biberstein