The First 15

Wednesday August 5, 2020

by First Methodist Mansfield

Thy Will be Done

Scripture

Mark 1:14-15

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Reflection

Jesus taught his disciples and us how to pray. He gave us what we now refer to as the “Lord’s Prayer.” For me, one of the most significant lines in this prayer is, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” That one line could be a stand-alone prayer all on it’s own. It is a pretty bold assertion that essentially says, “God I desire that your will would be accomplished, right here and now, in every situation, with every person, no matter how hard it is, or how unprepared I may be.” I’m not sure we actually think about or even mean those words when we repeat them, we often recite these words out of rote memorization. (Unless of course you are a Pastor, leading the prayer. Then you are sure to forget some of the words! 🙂 Ask me, I can tell you stories.)

So when we pray just this one line, sincerely, we are proclaiming our complete trust in God. We are also agreeing to take part in God’s will, in bringing the Kingdom of God to earth. The “on earth as it is in heaven” portion says we are part of God’s mission, to bring heaven to earth now. It would be much easier to pray, “Lord, let your will be done in heaven.” That relieves us all of our responsibility now. We could all just sit back and wait ’til the end times or until we go to heaven. And in fact, that is what a lot of Christians do. Many people proclaim Christ as their Lord and Savior, then wait for God to work it all out. But friends, there is work to do, here and now. We are called to take part in bringing God’s will to earth, as it is in heaven. Jesus came, proclaiming the kingdom of God here on earth, and it is our role to continue that bringing of God’s will. How do we do this? Start by praying that one prayer every day, and mean it. Then look to God for direction and guidance. The kingdom comes through us, when we act in love, when we forgive, offer grace, do the right thing, and stand up for the weak, poor, and infirm. When we humbly seek God’s will, right now, in every situation, God will guide us.

Do you earnestly pray these words when saying the Lord’s prayer? What does it look like for you to participate in the bringing of heaven to earth today?

Prayer for Today

Our father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.

The First 15

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