On Earth as in Heaven
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
-Matthew 6:10b (NLT)
-Matthew 6:10b (NLT)
___________________________
I don’t know about you, but that has always seemed like a strange thing to teach us to pray. Isn’t God’s will always done?
Hmmm. That’s a good question. The answer is, No, God’s will is most definitely not always done. At least, God’s perfect will, his desired will, isn’t always done. Unfortunately, that is the result of giving created beings the ability to choose. Believe it or not, we don’t always choose to do what God wants us to do. Okay, that has to be the biggest understatement of the day, and here’s why it’s important to keep reminding ourselves of that truth.
When bad things happen, it’s not God’s will. God is good. God is love. God is just. God is mercy. God is grace. He can’t be something that he is not. Evil is real and was born out of rebellion against God. Evil is not God’s opposite; He is God’s adversary. Through deception, the evil one enticed humans to rebel, resulting in the corruption of the human heart and the world in which we live. That was not God’s will.
I want to also make the point that our choosing to participate in sin does not make us evil. Unlike Satan, our core identity as image-bearers of God has not been completely rejected. We will one day be given that choice as we stand before God, but for now, redemption through Jesus is possible for every human heart.
Oh, and I have more good news. The entire earth will be redeemed. In other words, this is all a temporary situation. All things will be made new! Hallelujah! Amen!
So, why do we pray this? I believe it is not so much to move God, but to move us. Praying for God’s will to be done brings our hearts, our choices, our whole lives into alignment his will. We can’t control what everyone else does, but we can pray for people and lead by example in the way we choose to surrender to and find joy in God’s will.
Hmmm. That’s a good question. The answer is, No, God’s will is most definitely not always done. At least, God’s perfect will, his desired will, isn’t always done. Unfortunately, that is the result of giving created beings the ability to choose. Believe it or not, we don’t always choose to do what God wants us to do. Okay, that has to be the biggest understatement of the day, and here’s why it’s important to keep reminding ourselves of that truth.
When bad things happen, it’s not God’s will. God is good. God is love. God is just. God is mercy. God is grace. He can’t be something that he is not. Evil is real and was born out of rebellion against God. Evil is not God’s opposite; He is God’s adversary. Through deception, the evil one enticed humans to rebel, resulting in the corruption of the human heart and the world in which we live. That was not God’s will.
I want to also make the point that our choosing to participate in sin does not make us evil. Unlike Satan, our core identity as image-bearers of God has not been completely rejected. We will one day be given that choice as we stand before God, but for now, redemption through Jesus is possible for every human heart.
Oh, and I have more good news. The entire earth will be redeemed. In other words, this is all a temporary situation. All things will be made new! Hallelujah! Amen!
So, why do we pray this? I believe it is not so much to move God, but to move us. Praying for God’s will to be done brings our hearts, our choices, our whole lives into alignment his will. We can’t control what everyone else does, but we can pray for people and lead by example in the way we choose to surrender to and find joy in God’s will.
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