Weekly devotion no 12

Weekly Devotion no 12
19 June 2020

Bible reading – Matthew 6:9-13

⁹ ‘This, then, is how you should pray:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.”

Reflection - Your will be done

The third petition in the Lord’s prayer calls for God’s will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

When God created mankind, he gave us free will: the ability to make choices about our thoughts, beliefs and actions. We can use our will for good or ill. Throughout history, and in our own lives, we have seen the consequences of mankind applying our free will and it not always ending so well. By requesting that God’s will be done, not our will, we acknowledge that God’s will is currently not being done on earth. We acknowledge that the exercising of our own free will is not leading to a world that is good and perfect.

God’s good and perfect will is done in heaven. The eternal love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit ensure an equilibrium of peace and joy as God’s will is enacted. It is this outcome that we long for on earth and why we seek for God’s will to be done here and now.

When we live contrary to God’s will, we sin. This is why there is so often a struggle within us when we know we are doing something wrong – it is our will tussling against God’s will. Whilst Jesus did not sin, he does understand that struggle. In anguish in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed that not his own will, but God’s will would be done. He did not want to die, but he submitted to God’s will so that, in entering into our pain and suffering through his death on the cross, we could be confident that there is ultimately victory over sin.

As we saw last week, God’s kingdom is already here but we also seek its consummation. And it is because of that we can pray for God’s will to be done and know that it will actually make a difference. By his grace, God is changing the world through each one of us as we await Jesus’ return. So we can pray with a sure and certain hope that God’s will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Hymn

Verse 1

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
uttered or unexpressed;
the motion of a hidden fire
that trembles in the breast.

Verse 2

Prayer is the simplest form of speech
that infant lips can try,
prayer the sublimest strains that reach
the Majesty on high.

Verse 3

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
the Christian's native air,
his watchword at the gates of death:
he enters heaven with prayer.

Verse 4

Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
returning from his ways;
while angels in their songs rejoice,
and cry, 'Behold, he prays!

Verse 5

The saints in prayer appear as one,
in word and deed and mind;
while with the Father and the Son
sweet fellowship they find.

Verse 6

Nor prayer is made on earth alone:
the Holy Spirit pleads,
and Jesus on the eternal throne
for sinners intercedes.

Verse 7

O Thou by whom we come to God,
the Life, the Truth, the Way,
the path of prayer thyself hast trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray!

James Montgomery © 1818 Public Domain CCLI:69198    

Prayer

Thy will be done:

the will that freely elects redemption in your creation,

the will that comprehends all things and everyone in a divine purpose,

the will that frees my will from slavery to sin and puts it to work in righteousness. Amen.

Eugene H. Peterson | Praying with Jesus