Pray Like This: Your Will Be Done

My parents are living on a farm in Zolfo Springs with my brother Nate and his wife Melissa.  Recently, their guard dog Shepherd went missing.  Less than a week later, Nate’s longtime companion, Minnie, was hit and killed by a truck on the road outside their home.  As my parents were out walking alongside a ditch looking for Minnie, a car stopped and the driver asked what they were looking for.  A conversation ensued in which the driver asked about getting permission to fish in the farm.  Dad explained that he was the owner and he would agree for Alex and his wife Elisa to fish as long as they were willing to let him share with them about Jesus.  They decided that was a fair arrangement and after fishing a couple of times at the pond and catching nice Bass, Alex one afternoon sat down on the farm porch and conversed with Dad about John 3:16.  He ended up placing his faith in Jesus.
 
Meditation
Matthew 6:10—Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
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It would not be in our will to see dogs killed.  In truth, there are many things in life that we would not choose if it was up to our decision-making. This is precisely why Jesus taught us to pray that God’s plan would be done on earth as it is in heaven.  God knew that Alex would drive by just as my parents were walking alongside the road and that that encounter would lead to an opportunity for the gospel to be presented. 

We see things from our temporal vision and calculate our decisions and form our impressions based on our limited knowledge.  Our omniscient Father sees and knows everything.  We can trust that His plan is perfect.  So, before a loved one dies, an accident occurs, sickness lingers, finances fail, a job is lost, or any other number of unfortunate and distressing situations occur run to the Lord and ask for His will to be fulfilled. The best way to start a day is for us to simply ask Him to accomplish His purpose through us for that day. Believe that His will is best and trust Him with the results—even when they make no sense. 

Jesus knew that the secret to joyful living is patient trusting.  The Apostle Paul illustrates this in his letter to the Romans.  
Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . .No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!  (8:35,37-39)
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In bringing about God’s kingdom His will is to love us. Unless we trust Him, we miss His love because we base our evaluation on circumstances being favorable or unfavorable.  What is satisfactory to us may be harmful in God’s plan and vice versa. 
 
Inspiration
God’s will is determined by His wisdom which always perceives, and His goodness which always embraces, the intrinsically good.—C.S. Lewis in The Problem of Pain
 
©2017 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)