My Dear Faithful Friend:
I recently found myself with others reciting the “Lord’s Prayer.” Most seemed to simply repeat the words without meaning, yet the words, “thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,” struck me again. They always do. For we are asking our Heavenly Father, not just to bring about His purpose, but that our prayers matter in this, and more we are to be involved, in some way. Yet at first this seems odd, why would this be necessary? Praying that His “will be done on earth…” seems redundant, for Isaiah tells us that “the Lord of Host has sworn:, As I have planned, so it shall be, as I have purposed so shall it stand” (Isa.14:24). And, “I am God…I work and who can hinder it?” (43:13). Simply, the Father’s plans and purposes will be accomplished. For “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion on the day…“(Phil.1:6).
So obviously the “Lord’s Prayer” must be referring to something else. The big things are certain; “The church…. the wisdom of God being made know…(this all was) according to the eternal purpose, which (God) has realized in Christ Jesus…”(Eph.3:10-11). Thus the Church, the covenants, and His redemption were all planned, “before the foundation of the world.” And since God is in ultimate control, that is not surprising. But there are many who believe that God determines every little thing that happens. Some, who are referred to as Supralapsarianists,[1] teach that everything is predestined by God. I’m not sure even John Calvin believed that there are those who are predestined to hell, after all he surely read John 3:16 and First Timothy 2:4.
I know that what God “foreknew He also predestined…and those He predestined He also called, etc.” (Rm.8:29-30). Paul is using Greek and rabbinical rhetoric, but these ultra Calvinists would use human logic. They assume God thinks like we do. But God’s “thoughts and not our thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…”(Isa.55:8). Clearly, the concept of Quantum theories is fairly new, but some were wise enough to see this possibility long ago, that God is beyond time, space, and matter. He thus sees all time as one. This is something those in the first century, and the nineteenth century would have trouble with, and it still puzzles many. But this means our free-will is just that, our free-will. We are free moral agents. We are not really predestined, as most understand the term. What Paul is actually saying is that God knows, because He sees all, but it is still we who choose.
This is about being humans. There is a difference between God’s commands, His desires for us, and what He actually wills. He commands that we not murder, steal, bear false witness, commit adultery, and not covet what others have, but we all know those who have failed, or sinned, perhaps even we have, maybe more than once. Obviously what God desires, or wishes for us is often not realized. What He wills is another matter. His purposes in the Universal Church, and eventually for our world will be fulfilled. Yes, it’s all in God’s hands, but He wants us to participate. His desires, or His will, for us personally, our loved ones, our particular church, and our society is largely up to us. And why we are told to be faithfulness, and to be overcomers, as John says so often in his Revelation (Rev.3:5,12,21 etc.). And this is the perfect example of what prayer is; it’s not about changing God, but prayer is to change us. So we do need to pray that His will in these matters is accomplished; in and through us, as it is in heaven.
So when you hear ‘I want God’s will for my life?’ Or ‘what is God’s will for me?’ The answer is easy. He wants us to be faithful, stand firm in our faith, proclaim the truth of the gospel, and don’t ever be afraid of what other say or think about you, or our faith. Any option without God is laughable, if not pathetic. There is actually nothing the world can offer that matches serving God, walking with Him, with the promise of abiding eternally with our Lord. All we need do is welcome “God at work in you, both to will and work His good pleasure” (Phil.2:13).
That we all will know that life in Him is “worth it all.”
Thomas R. Wyatt
[1] This theological term has to do with Calvinist theology’s view of God’s predestination or choosing those for hell. I reject this, believing God selects no one for hell. That is our choice, period.
