February 24, 2021
Alms, Prayer, & Fasting 6:1-18
“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done” v. 10 (Part 2)
The Kingdom is where God’s “will” is done — “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”. The omniscient Father who sees all, factors what he sees into his sovereign rule. This is why “God willing” (Deus Vult) has always been the heavenly qualifier for Christian choice. If we’re out of synch with heaven we’re out of synch with everlasting life.
It should be said the “Thy will be done” is a great safeguard against getting our own way. Why? Because we are self-absorbed. We want wealth, ease, recognition, and flawless health. One theologian suggests that, “if God were a devil, perhaps the most devilish torment he would plan for us would be to give us our own wish.” Often our prayers are an exercise in manipulation, “finessing” God to our will, which of course is tantamount to making God in our own image. Jesus, himself, in his most trying moment, prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will, but thine be done.” That sentence captures the essence of prayer. Our personal agenda must yield to that of our Maker. And whit is his agenda? “The Kingdom of God is…righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Ro. 14:17).
