“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’” (Matthew 6:9-10)
When we pray, “Your will be done,” we are saying, “May my will not be done.” From the moment of your conception, your will has been hostile toward God and opposed to His will.
Thankfully, Christ reconciled you to God by becoming sin and dying on the Cross (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Then, after rising from the dead, Jesus sent His Spirit to ignite faith in your heart. When you received the Spirit in Baptism, God became your Father. You love God, treasure His Word, and desire to obey Him.
Still, your sinful nature remains. You feel two desires in your heart. You desire to live under your good and gracious Father, but you also have fleshly desires — desires that you want to satisfy, desires that contradict the will of God. These unholy desires will not disappear until we die or the Lord returns. So we pray, “Father, break and hinder the plans and purposes of my flesh.”
He does. He kills your old Adam with the Law and strengthens the new man with the Gospel. The Law produces contrition, which pushes the sinful nature back under the waters of Baptism, and the Gospel draws up from the water a son of God, full of the Spirit.
Our Lord doesn’t merely save us from the devil and the world. He saves us from ourselves. Whatever would lead you away from God is crucified and buried with Christ, so that you — a new creation — can live with Him forever.
Prayer
Your gracious will on earth be done
As it is done before Your throne,
That patiently we may obey
Throughout our lives all that You say.
Curb flesh and blood and ev’ry ill
That sets itself against Your will.
(“Our Father, Who from Heaven Above” LSB 766, st. 4)
In Jesus Name. Amen.
Stay encouraged!
Pastor Mike
