This is perhaps the toughest petition to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Our culture encourages a different prayer. “Gramps, keep on rocking on your heavenly porch. Since all roads lead to heaven, we can do whatever we want and we will.” But Jesus is counter-cultural, “Father, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
It’s the “on earth” part that is so tough. “On earth” means among us and that starts with me. I can say the right things to other religious people and often do the right outward thing, but God looks into my heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Deep down in our being, “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:19) It’s a contest of wills, mine versus God’s, and the scary part is that I can win, my will can prevail over God’s…for a time, only for a short time. Spirit of Jesus, teach us to pause before we act, to invite You into the conflict in our heart, and then to do our Father’s will.
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