Today's Reading: Third Petition of the Lord’s Prayer
Daily Lectionary: Genesis 22:1-19; Mark 7:1-23
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.
How does God’s kingdom come? God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is His good and gracious will.
Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen. We normally think of the will of God as some road that we have to find and stay on. If we do this or do that, we’ll find it. If we really pray a lot and from our hearts, if we live right, if we do something, God will show us His will and we’ll get on it and then be saved.
Talk about an unhappy Lent! That’s all about you, you, and you. You do, you pray, and then God will. That way of you doing something to save yourself (works righteousness) will land you right in hell every time!
So if you can’t find out the will of God on your own, how do you find it? You don’t! The will of God finds you! Yes, God’s will finds you. God’s will is all about you and your salvation. He’s not going make you find Him. If He did that, He wouldn’t be doing His will.
Yes, God’s will keeps the universe running right. He keeps asteroids from pounding into the earth and supernova from destroying us. But God’s good and gracious will is doing all these things because He wants to save you. Everything He has done, from creation, to His promises to Abraham, to bringing His people out of Egypt, to the judges and kings of Israel, to the birth of Jesus have been all about one thing—saving you from your sins.
God is always doing His will, always working, always planning to save you from what you do, have done, and will do. All that’s He’s working in your life—just the right classes, just the right school, just the right college, just the right job, just the right spouse (or no spouse at all), is all for the sake of doing one simple thing: He’s going to save you from your sins.
What’s God"s will? Simply put: He wishes to save you. He thwarts the devil, the world, and your sinful flesh, which do not want you to be saved, and strengthens you in His Word and faith until you die.
Yes, shortly put: God’s good and gracious is that you have a happy Lent watching Jesus save you from your sins. In the name of Jesus. Amen.