Love to hear from and know who is listening
I have many fond childhood memories growing up with a large extended family. My father was one of 7 children. He had 3 brothers and 3 sisters. When I was younger I had 10 Aunts and Uncles and 24 first cousins, my fathers oldest brother died in a car accident before I knew him. When everyone was present there was about 50 family members and at some point in time someone was going to pick you up and give you a loving bear hug that left toes dangling in the air. We frequently had our family reunions outside at the pond near my grandparents home. We would fish, swim and roast hot-dogs around a large bonfire. As the sun was setting we would all pile on the hay wagon and go for a hay ride around the dirt roads near my grandpa's farm. One of the treasured traditions that we held sacred was reciting the Lord's Prayer. Grandpa would gathers us around the table in a large circle before the meal and we would all join hands and then he would leads us in the Lord's prayer.
Matthew 6: 9-13 NKJV Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
This prayer should truly be our hearts desire, something we strive for! When we pray "hallowed be thy name", we are acknowledging that God's name is holy and should be treated as such. We ask God to forgive our debts or sins as we forgive those who sin against us and to not lead us into temptation.... But are we to quick to look past the petition, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven! For more that 2,000 years, faithful followers of Jesus have prayed these words, that He taught His disciples: “May Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” But have we paused to think through what it really means? When I pray and when I say, on earth as it is in heaven. I pray for God’s will to be done instantly, that there will be no delay in His will being accomplished. I pray for God’s will to be done constantly, that there will be no cessation or vacation from the will of God being accomplished. I pray for God’s will to be done completely... that there will be no half measures in the accomplishing of His will. And, finally, I pray for God’s will to be done worshipfully, just like the angels of heaven, who happily, vocally and brilliantly speed to do God’s bidding, His name may be glorified, His kingdom may come, and His will may be accomplished here on earth. Of course, implicit in the prayer for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, is my own prayer for my submission to God’s will. It makes no sense to pray for these things to be accomplished everywhere but in me. So for me to pray, may Your will be done, means that I will do what You God says, I will go where God leads. So, for me, praying, on earth as it is in heaven, must be a daily act of surrender of my own will I must be an eager, obedient servant. It is a renewed commitment of my life to the cause of Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 3: 5-6 ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Most days I am pretty darn confident that I know what I am doing. Just ask my wife and she will tell you that it is my way or the highway! So for me to fully surrender my will to Go and to acknowledge that God's will is better than my will is a humbling and difficult task for me. My plans aren't your plans God,my ways are not yours. Just as the heavens are higher tha
