No one likes to be denied. Yet Jesus calls us to a life of denial: the denial of ourselves.
For in the Lord’s Prayer, He teaches us to pray to God, “Your will be done.” Why teach his people such a hard prayer? It’s because only our faith and obedience bring God the honour that He desires.
But it’s not just for God’s glory that we do his will. God wants us to submit for the sake of our own well-being. He has perfect knowledge of everything, and He always desires what is going to be for the good of his children.
Yet we still resist his will. We want to enjoy our pleasures. We don’t want to love our enemies. We prefer to hold onto our own glory and resources.
This has always been the first and hardest test: Will we love what God wills for us? Or will we go ahead and do what we want?
At this third request of the Lord’s Prayer, the rubber meets the road: Our actions have to match our words.
Many claim to be followers of Jesus and servants of God, while in reality they only serve themselves.
That’s why Jesus speaks this uncomfortable truth in Matthew 7: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
So we too, must pray this request every day. It’s hard, but through the Holy Spirit, God helps his children to shoulder the load.
And when we follow Christ, we come to find that his burden is light.
***
Scripture: Psalm 25:1-10
Prayer: Father in heaven, may I always do your good will. By your Word, teach me your will, and help me to do it, willingly and humbly. Amen.