Dear Christian friends:
Before Jesus taught His disciples the Lord's Prayer He criticised
the Pharisees who said long prayers. They thought that long
prayers were better than short prayers. They were wrong. We
do not need to say long prayers to God. He knows what we are
thinking and what we need before we say it in our prayers.
That's one reason Jesus taught His disciples the Lord's
Prayer. It is not long. It is a short prayer, but in it are
all that we need to pray. As we consider this Prayer, we
are impressed at how perfect it is! Everything we need to
pray is in this Prayer! Let's continue studying this
beautiful Prayer which Jesus taught us.
Today we consider the Third Petition.
"Thy Will Be Done"
What is God's "will"? Martin Luther says it is, "the good
and gracious will of God." (Small Catechism) Well what is
the "good and gracious will of God"? It is what we already
prayed in the First and Second Petitions. The good and gracious
will of God is that we "hallow His name" and that "His kingdom
come."
The Bible says, "God will have all men to be saved and come
to know the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4) God wants all people to know
and confess that they are sinners and then He wants them to
believe in His Son, Jesus, the Savior.
God wants all believers in Jesus to live a right and holy life
that honors Him. The Bible says, "This is the will of God,
that you live a holy life. (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
God wants all believers to suffer with patience all that He
permits to happen to them. The Bible says, "We must through
much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)
And Jesus told His disciples, "If any man will come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
(Matthew 16:24) And I want you to remember what I read before
in the Bible Lesson from Hebrews 12:6-11!
God, the same as a father, corrects us when we stray away from
His way. He corrects us because He loves us, and doesn't want
us to go to hell with the unbelievers. We must humbly accept
His correction that He permits to happen to us! This is the
good and gracious will of God.
Who does not want God's good and gracious will to happen.
Who opposes God's will? Three oppose God's good and gracious
will.
First, the devil opposes God's good and gracious will. The
devil doesn't want anyone to get saved. He wants everyone to go to
hell with him. The Bible says, "Be alert and of sober mind.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking
for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)
Secondly, the world opposes the good and gracious will of
God. The Bible warns, "Do not love the world or anything in
the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is
not in them.
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father
but from the world.
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will
of God lives forever." (1 John 2:15-17)
Thirdly, our own sinful heart, flesh opposes God's good and
gracious will. St. Paul confessed and also you and I should
confess the same: "For I know that good itself does not dwell
in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to
do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. (Romans 7:18)
Our old Adam and our old Eve opposes the good and gracious
will of God.
Therefore we must pray daily this Third Petition: "Thy will
be done on earth as it is in heaven." Martin Luther explains
this petition very clearly and beautifully: "God's good and
gracious will is done (happens on earth) when God breaks and
hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us
hallow God's name or let His kingdom come, such as the will
of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and
preserves us steadfast in His Word and faith unto death."
You and I do not know how many times God has stopped the
devil or other enemies, how He has protected us so that
we do not give up faith in Him. God protected Joseph in
Egypt and kept him believing through all troubles and
dangers. (Genesis 50:15-21) God protected Job's faith.
(Job 1) God has also protected you and me so that we still
believe and do His will!
Pray this prayer daily: "Thy will be done on earth as it
is in heaven!"
Amen.