The Lord’s Will

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.’

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Let’s look a little deeper into the Lord’s Prayer today. God our Father, who loves us and wants a relationship with us, also calls us to do his will. That’s because he wants the best life possible for us, even if we can’t always see that.

It’s not easy to surrender ourselves to God’s will or control. I like going to church, and I like finding comfort in God’s promises. But I’m not always eager to follow God’s will in my life. I usually just want to do what I want to do.

But with that attitude I can end up settling for fleeting, earthly treasures rather than the full life that God wants for me. And then I fail to recognize that it is better if God’s kingdom comes instead of mine.

When I follow Jesus’ example, however, and I pray for God’s kingdom to come, I’m opening my life to be filled by the sovereign God of heaven and earth. I’m inviting God to do whatever he thinks is best, even if it means change. Or discomfort. It’s a pledge to pursue God’s purposes above all else.

Are you prepared to pray for that? Are you ready to pray that God’s will be done, even if that means changing jobs or giving money away or spending time with someone you don’t like? What are you willing to risk in order to see God’s will done?

Father, help me to trust that your will is far better than mine. Give me the grace to submit to your purposes and to embrace your call on my life, wherever you may take me. Amen.