A two-sentence, life-changing prayer.
I don’t know how old I was when I first learned the Lord’s Prayer, but I do know I was young, probably four or five. I dutifully repeated the prayer when it was a part of the worship service, but I can’t say that I said it with passion or even deep understanding.
As my church experiences continued, it seemed that there were fewer and fewer times that we said the prayer together. I remember thinking, “I wonder if this church says, ‘debts’ or ‘trespasses?”
There were times that I almost mindlessly repeated the prayer and then there were other times when I thought about it, pondered it and even journaled about it. Recently I had a lightbulb moment about this most important prayer.
“Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” took on new meaning for me.
It became very apparent to me that Jesus wanted me to pray with an attitude of total surrender because that’s what it takes to live in the Kingdom of God. My posture before the Father in this prayer should be an acknowledgement that I have been invited to be a part of replicating His Kingdom on earth. In Heaven, all things happen in obedience to the King’s will, and my prayer should be that I live with that same attitude. The magnitude of that privilege was overwhelming and exciting all at the same time.
Since that “ah ha” moment, I have frequently pondered what it looks like for me to say, “Thy will be done.” The word that keeps coming to mind is, surrender.
Surrender, my daughter, to MY will. Surrender to MY love, MY goodness, MY control. Surrender, and let your life reflect the contentment and peace that I desire for you. Surrender to me, your good, good Father.
Truly praying, “Thy will be done. Thy Kingdom come, on earth as it is in Heaven,” is life-changing!
It will re-orient our thoughts, our attitudes, our actions under the loving hand of God with the realization that nothing happens in Heaven that isn’t His will and that His desire for us is to live the same way now, on earth.
Take time to reflect on the privilege it is to bring Heaven to earth by the way we reveal God’s will in our lives. May His will be done!
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PS – Deb is one of our keynote speakers at the EDA Leadership Conference in October. She’s also leading a breakout session about raising and releasing women to lead in the local church. Don’t miss it!
Deb Hinkel is the Director of Spiritual Formation and Family Ministry at Hershey Free Church. She joined the church’s staff in 2015 after spending fourteen years as an assistant professor in the Church and Ministry Leadership department at Lancaster Bible College.
Deb holds a Master of Arts degree in Ministry from Lancaster Bible College; and prior to her work there, she spent fifteen years in church ministry, developing programs in Christian education, children’s ministry, and women’s ministry.