Jul. 20, 2025 - Yours Will be Done

When was the last time you really thought about the words of the Lord's Prayer? This familiar prayer, recited in churches around the world, holds within it a power and danger that many of us overlook. As we rush through the familiar phrases, we may miss the radical nature of what we're actually saying.

Let's start with the opening words: "Our Father." This simple phrase immediately challenges our individualistic tendencies. It's not "My Father," but "Our Father." In praying these words, we're acknowledging that we're part of a vast family of believers. Everyone who calls Jesus Lord, regardless of their background, denomination, or circumstances, becomes our brother or sister. This prayer cultivates a sense of community and shared identity that transcends our differences.

But it's what comes next that truly reveals the audacious nature of this prayer. After addressing God as "Our Father," we begin to issue a series of commands to the Almighty. Yes, you read that correctly – we command God. The Greek text reveals that these petitions are imperatives, direct instructions to the Creator of the universe.

"Hallowed be thy name." We're telling God to make His name holy, to reveal His holiness through our lives. It's a weighty request, asking the holy God to make His holiness visible through unholy people like us.

"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Here's where the prayer becomes truly dangerous. We're asking for God's perfect will – the will that exists in heaven where there is no suffering, sorrow, or pain – to be manifest in our lives and in the world around us. We're inviting God to birth His kingdom within us, to continue the work that began with Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

But are we really ready for that? How often do we wake up thinking about our own will, our own desires, our own plans? We like things done our way, on our terms. Praying for God's will to be done means surrendering our own will. It means being willing to go where God leads, even when it's not where we want to go.

The story of Queen Esther provides a powerful example of what it looks like to truly surrender to God's will. Esther, a Jewish woman who became queen of Persia, found herself in a position to save her people from annihilation. But to do so, she would have to risk her own life by approaching the king uninvited – an act punishable by death.

Esther's response is breathtaking in its simplicity and courage: "I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish." In that moment, Esther fully surrendered her will to God's purpose. She was willing to risk everything for the sake of God's plan.

This is the kind of surrender the Lord's Prayer invites us into. It's not easy. It's not safe. But it's the path to true freedom and purpose.

So how do we cultivate this kind of surrender in our own lives? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Pray with intention: Don't rush through the Lord's Prayer. Take time to reflect on each phrase, considering what you're really asking God to do.

2. Examine your will: Regularly take stock of your desires, plans, and motivations. Are they aligned with God's will, or are you holding onto your own agenda?

3. Practice small surrenders: Look for opportunities in your daily life to choose God's way over your own. It might be as simple as giving up your preferred parking spot or listening to someone you disagree with.

4. Study examples of surrender: Read stories from Scripture and church history of people who fully surrendered to God's will. Let their examples inspire and challenge you.

5. Be honest with God: If you're struggling to surrender, tell God. He already knows, and He appreciates your honesty.

As we learn to pray "Thy will be done" with sincerity, we may find ourselves disappearing bit by bit. Our own desires, our need for control, our self-centeredness – all of these begin to fade as we align ourselves more fully with God's purposes.

It's a dangerous prayer, make no mistake. But it's also the pathway to the most fulfilling, purposeful life imaginable. When we fully surrender to God's will, we find ourselves, like Esther, in exactly the right place at exactly the right time, ready to be used by God in ways we never could have imagined.

The Lord's Prayer is not a safe, comforting ritual. It's a radical declaration of dependence on God and a dangerous invitation for Him to work in and through us. As we pray these familiar words, may we do so with fresh understanding and renewed commitment. May we be willing to risk the danger of surrender to experience the blessing of living fully in God's will.

Are you ready to pray dangerously? Are you prepared to mean what you say when you pray, "Thy will be done"? The choice is yours, but remember – this is no ordinary prayer. It's an invitation to a transformed life, a life aligned with the very purposes of God. Pray with caution, for you may find yourself changed in ways you never expected.