Thy Will Be Done

Often the Lord’s Prayer petition “Thy will be done” is combined with “on earth as it is in heaven.’  I am separating them because I want to make two separate but related points with this petition. 

I cannot think of the phrase ‘Thy will be done” without thinking about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night He was arrested. He was in agony and cried out to His father. 

Then He *said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.”

And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” Matthew 26:38-39

This is not a “ho-hum’ kind of prayer. In fact the apostle Luke—who was a physician—gives a physical description of Jesus’ agony. 

And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. Luke 22:44

My point is Jesus fervently prayed a very specific prayer: for His arrest, trial, and crucifixion to be removed. He knew what He was facing and He asked for what was in essence a miracle. Notice He didn’t pray for strength or courage, He prayed that He wouldn’t have to face what He knew what was ahead of Him. He asked for the miracle.

Jesus asked for the miracle and then submitted His future to the Father’s will. 

I’ve said it before. God sees and works from another perspective—a Heavenly perspective with Heavenly power (Isaiah 55:8–9). Jesus recognized that He was asking for a miracle. Jesus also recognized that His father was a miracle working father.

And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” Mark 14:36

Even as He cried out for the miracle, Jesus worshiped God for being a miracle worker. 

I suggest too often we water down the phrase “Thy will be done”. I believe we as Christians often use the phrase, “Thy will be done” as an excuse to not be specific in our requests of God and as a reason to not ask for the miracle.

Let’s take a lesson from Jesus, who taught us to pray, “Thy will be done” and then modeled it for us in His own agonizing journey to the cross. 

When you pray recognize and worship God as the miracle worker He is. Be specific in your request. Ask for the miracle. Then submit it to God with hands held open saying, “Your will be done, not mine.”