You Have Got to Be Kidding

I don’t know about you, but when I pray the Lord’s prayer I ask for God’s will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven. If I sincerely ask for God’s will to be done, it’s not that I’m asking God to reveal to me through some sort of mystical means (signs, miracles or wonders) what his will is. And then, once revealed, I align my will with what I perceive to be his and set about doing it.

No. If God is truly working his will within me, he does in accordance with Philippian 2:13, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” It is not that my will must align itself with what I perceive he desires of me. Rather, as is true of every one of God’s elect, his will, and spiritual influence and power, brings our will into conformance with his own. We know what his will is, and we do it! All the while, we delight in serving our Lord and King, Jesus. Why would I take great delight? I do because the very thought that the creator of heaven and earth… ruler of all powers, dominions and estates… asked me, a sinner, to engage with him in rolling out what is to come? You have got to be kidding.