"Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven". Kind of strange
to pray this, right? You see, we are so used to asking God to grant
us what we want, that our will be done in heaven as it is on earth.
We want God to fulfill our wishes, desires and plans.
When we are in control of our life circumstances, having a good time
in life, our study and career are on the right track, we seldom bother
to pray, "your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." we are
afraid that if we pray this, God may intrude into our lives and disrupt
our plans. Especially during this Mission month, if I pray 'Your will
be done…", then he may send me to one of those far away countries.
We sometimes feel that he is waiting to throw us a bucket of cold
water or is a joy-killer.
However, when we feel discouraged, confused and desperate, we begin
to pray, "your will be done." Since I am at the end of my rope, now,
your will be done. When all else fails, then we ask his will be done.
It is negative and kind of fatalistic. In many movies, just before
the plane crashes or the boat sinks, the Lord's Prayer appears.
This morning we want to take a closer look at the meaning of asking
God's will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. We shall identify
a simple yet important truth about prayer, that is, When we pray,
we are conforming our will to God's.
I. We are to acknowledge God's general will in life.
When a child is born, there is only one will: his/her will. He cries
whenever he is hunger or wet. It could be 2 or 4 am, he really doesn't
care. About one month later, he begins to realize that there is another
set of wills, the parents' and he may no longer get anything he wants
at any time. From then on, it becomes a life-long power struggle between
him and the parents. Their will or his will.
Isn't this quite similar in our spiritual journey? Before we come
to know God, we are only aware of our wills, our desires and wishes.
As we listen to Jesus' teaching, growing spiritually, we begin to
realize that besides our will, there is also God's will. Not only
that, there is Satan's will. Satan's will, without exception is to
pull us from God. So we constantly find ourselves caught between 3
different sets of wills: God's, Satan's and mine.
1. God's will is real.
When Jesus teaches us to pray, "your will be done…" he is telling
us that God's will is not abstract, it is real. Jesus in John 6:40,
"For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes
in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last
day." James in James 4;15, "Instead, you ought to say, ''If it is
the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 1John 5:14, "that
if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." these verses
clearly tell us that God's will, is real and significant. It is not
mysterious, it can be known.
2. Submission to God's will.
Since God's will is real, what do we do about it? In John 4:34, Jesus
told his disciples, "My food," said Jesus, ''is to do the will of
him who sent me and to finish his work." And then in his Gethsemane
prayer, "……may your will be done."
Jesus sets an example for us in that God's will is not only real
but it is to be submitted to. To his followers, then and now, God's
will is not an option in life, nor a reference point for us, but is
to be submitted to. When we pray this Lord's prayer, "Your will be
done, on earth as it is in heaven…", we remember that prayer is not
a mantra asking God to fulfill my will, but to conform my will to
his.
3.God knows the best.
God's will is real, it is to be obeyed and submitted to. In the process,
we must also remember that he knows the best. Our view is limited,
but he sees the whole picture. To have God's will done in my life
does not mean that all my problems will be resolved. It does mean
that in the midst of difficulties, there is peace. When I pray that
God's will be done in my life, it also means that even in trials,
he is working in my life for my good, implementing his will for me.
I think of Christiana Tsai who was born in the early 1900's in China.
She became a Christian while in high school. Since 1930, she developed
a very rare disease. She couldn't be exposed to any sunlight. So for
over 40 years she was confined to a darkroom. She was brought to the
states in 1947 and lived in Lancaster, Pa until she died in the 1970's.
While she lived in that dark room, many came to visit her. Through
out those years, God used her to minister to those who came. She was
known as the Queen of the Dark Chamber. You see, when we pray God's
will be done, it means that even in the midst of adversity, we believe
he knows the best.
II. We are to acknowledge God's specific will in life.
Up to now, we have been talking about God's general will in our lives.
It is different for different people. To some, its God's will that
we be an accountant, an engineer, a high tech person or a doctor.
To others, God may want them to be a full time Christian worker, serving
in a local church or in other countries. However, in the scriptures,
we also learn that God is very clear and specific on what his will
is for everyone.
1. God's will regarding our relationship with him.
In John 6:40, "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to
the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life……." 1Timothy 2:4,
"who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."
Here it clearly explains to us that it is his will that as we listen
to his gospel message, he wants us to enter into a loving relationship
with him. He wants people from all nations, to know him. During this
mission month, we are reminded that it is his will that individuals
under the influence of the Muslim teaching come to know Jesus as The
Way, the Truth and the Life, the only way to the creator God, the
heavenly Father. Not just the Muslims, he wants those under the grip
of atheism or humanism, to come to know him. It is his will that those
under the influence of the Buddhism and Jewish faith, to know him
and enter into a loving relationship with him.
As you come to church this morning, it is God's desire that you believe
in Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life, he is the only
way to God.
Besides coming to know him as our Lord and Savior, as the Truth,
it is also God's will and desire that we offer ourselves to him as
a living sacrifice. This means that we are to dedicate ourselves to
him: go where he wants us to go and do what he wants us to do. Moreover,
its also his desire that we are renewed in our mind.
To renew our mind means to conform our way of thinking and value
system to God's. For example, previously our relationship with others
is based on conditional clauses. If he is good to me, then I'll be
good to him. If he smiles at me, then I'll smile back. But now God's
will is for me to love and accept that person unconditionally. Even
if he is mean to me, I still love and care for him. Previously, I
see people as a tool for my own survival and advancement. Now, as
I renew my mind, I am to see people not as a tool to use, but individuals
with God's image, therefore very precious. Instead of using them,
I treat them with dignity and respect.
2. God's will in our moral behaviors.
Besides God's will in how we relate to him, the scriptures are also
very clear in telling us what kind of moral standards he expects from
us. First and foremost are the 10 commandments. The 10 commandments
in the OT tell us of how God wants us to love him, worship him and
to love our neighbors.
Secondly, in the NT, Jesus further explained to us the implications
of the 10 commandments. In Matthew 5-7, we have a glimpse of God's
will on how we're to live in this world. He desires humility in our
spirit. We are to hunger after righteousness, to have compassion,
mercy towards the weak, the helpless and the voiceless ones. We are
to help others to come to peace with themselves, with God and with
each other.
He wants us to be like salt in this sinful and broken world, bringing
favor into life and slowing the process of decay. It is also his will
that we be that little light in the dark world, pointing others to
the true light, Jesus Christ. Certainly he wants us to live in harmony
with each other. His will for marriage is a life-long commitment and
oneness between husband and wife. He reminds us to be faithful to
our spouse and not to defile the marriage bed. It is his will that
we love our enemies and pray for those who hate us.
It is his desire that we are not to worry about life. He understands
that there are plenty of reasons for us to worry about life. We are
uncertain of our future. External and unforeseeable circumstances
cause our investment value to drop, our health may be slowing slipping
out of our fingers. Yet in the midst of such uncontrollable events,
he assures us that he is still watching over us, caring for us and
providing us with what we need. Therefore, it is his will that we
are not to worry about life.
These are his will for us, very clear, isn't it?
III. Our response to God's will.
Therefore what do we mean when we pray, "your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven."? You probably still remember our teaching on
"your kingdom come," Whenever God enters an individual's life, there
is his kingdom. We desire God's rule be present among us. His kingdom
is here, but we are also looking to a day in the future, when he will
rule this earth with his full power and glory. He has come, he is
here, and he is yet to come. Same with God's will. As we submit to
him now, his will is among us, on earth as it is in heaven. However,
because of our brokenness and sinfulness, so often his will is only
partially obeyed in our lives and in the Christian community. Even
as we struggle daily to submit to his will, we look forward to the
day when his will is completely manifested and submitted to.
Secondly, when we pray that his will be done on earth as it is in
heaven, we are also expressing our commitment to know his will through
the study of the scriptures. In the scriptures, God has clearly and
specifically told us his will and desire for all of his children.
We need to develop a holistic and balanced view of God's will. Yes,
we know that God wants us to be holy because he is holy, it's his
will that we talk to him and read his words. However, we also need
to remember that it is his will to care for the weak, the poor, the
elderly, the orphans, the widows and the voiceless ones.
Thirdly, when we pray, "your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,"
we are also committing ourselves to doing God's will. I don't just
know about God's will, but must actually apply and implement it in
our lives. When we recognize that he doesn't want us to worry about
life, then we have to actually make an effort to overcome our worry.
When we know its God's will to care for the weak, and oppressed,
then we and the church will need to make an effort to reach out to
them. We need to speak up for the voiceless ones in our society: especially
the unborn and the elderly. When we see how the unborn are being aborted,
and the elderly abused, we are to speak out for them. We can influence
our government to pass policies that are friendly to and to protect
the unborn and the elderly. You know, if we don't and when one day
we become old and helpless, no one will be there to speak out for
us.
Just knowing God's will is not enough. We are to do his will, so
that it will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Before concluding, I would like to digress and briefly address the
issue of how we know God's will in our lives. Is this the right person
to marry, should I stay in the US or go back to my home country? Should
I make a career change? At the risk of giving simplistic answer to
a complex question, I'll give you several guidelines:
1. As I seek God's will for my life, I want to make sure I am being
obedient to his specific will as revealed in the scriptures. A man
said to his wife of 17 years, "I am not happy in this marriage. I
think it is God's will for me to leave you and marry the woman I met
in my last business trip." With that, he left and his wife and two
children. This is wrong, it is not God's will. God will never lead
you to do something that contradicts his spoken word.
2. Pray. 3. Seek advice from mature Christian individuals whom God
has brought into your life.
4. Use common sense. Psalm 32:8-9, "I will instruct you and teach
you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding…"
Meaning use our common sense when we seek God's will.
5. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts. If you are making an
important decision, and there is no peace within you, you are to proceed
with caution.
6. Listen to that still small voice within you.
Conclusion:
When Jesus teaches us to pray, "Your will be done, on earth as it
is in heaven", he wants to impress upon us that besides our will,
there is also God's will. Just as our will is real and significance,
so is God's will.
Knowing that this father in heaven is good and loving, all knowing
and almighty, we can truly welcome his will to be done in our lives.
If we are to insist on our will before this God, it is really our
stupidity, isn't it?
This past week the fighting in eastern Afghanistan has been severe
and several American soldiers were killed. Before soldiers are deployed
to a dangerous mission, they are given time to write their final letters
to their families. In the case of death, the letter will be delivered.
This is what one soldier wrote, 'if you receive this letter, it means
that I have been killed in action. Please do not feel sorry for me,
for I have died in doing something I really like. To die while doing
what one enjoys and is proud of, is a luxury." He was among the first
group of soldier killed last weekend.
I feel this is the kind of attitude we followers of Christ should
possess. While living, we are to do God's will, to have his will be
done in our lives as it is in heaven.
