Thy Will Be Done

Thy Will Be Done

By the late Alvin Holmgren

Every happening in the Lord's life was a part of the fulfillment of the Father's plan for our salvation. His entire life was an expression of divine will. Jesus said: I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38) This was the very life of our Savior—much so that on one occasion the disciples, observing His total occupation with His message of hope, were moved to say to Him, "Master, eat." The Lord responded, I have meat to eat that ye know not of… My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:32, 34)

It is essentially true that we must never lose sight of the central truth that Jesus is our Savior, our Intercessor, our Surety, our Representative before the Father, and the qualities of His life consisted both of its sinlessness (John 8:46) and His being made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). In our conversation experience, we acknowledge that God is longsuffering and that He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Yet as Christians, we dare not think that we can daily appropriate these sacred gifts which consist of the blessing of grace and forgiveness without also experiencing an inner desire to know and to obey the will of God in our daily walk of faith.

Christianity does not exist only on a creed or doctrine; neither is it a form or pattern of life to be followed to the letter without inner experience and motivation which are the work of the Holy Spirit. The narrow way which leads to life has its beginnings at the straight gate (Matthew 7:13) and its end when we enter through the gates into that city (Revelation 22:14) where sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isaiah 35:10). Only God knows the distance between its beginning and its end for each one of us.

Since God's Word instructs us to be faithful unto death so that we may obtain the crown of life, we need to follow our Lord's example in submissiveness through prayer in all earnestness and sincerity. May we never forget these Gethsemane prayers offered a stone's throw from three sleeping disciples:

Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. (Mark 14:36)

Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (Luke 22:42)

O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. (Matthew 26:42)

In our references to this thrice-repeated prayer of Jesus, we tend to reserve these deeply-effecting words as an expression of the costly obedience required in finishing the work which the Father had given Him to do. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. (Hebrews 5:8-9)

The lesson to be learned here lies in the fact that the test was so crucial requiring a total sacrifice of life and an enduring of the death of deaths; i.e., separation from God, yet the Savior in each instance prayed: "Thy will be done."

Lord, we pray that in the sacrifice of our will (which is not worthy to be compared with Your sacrifice) that You would minister to us of Your Spirit so that with joy and thanksgiving we may acknowledge that Your thoughts are not our thoughts and that Your ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). Help us each day to say:

My Jesus, as Thou wilt! Oh, may Thy will be mine!

Into Thy hand of love, I would my all resign.

Through sorrow, or through joy, Conduct me as Thine own,

And help me still to say, My Lord, Thy will be done!

My Jesus, as Thou wilt! Though seen through many a tear,

Let not my star of hope Grow dim or disappear;

Since Thou on earth hast wept, And sorrowed oft alone,

If I must weep with Thee, My Lord, Thy will be done!

My Jesus, as Thou wilt! All shall be well for me;

Each changing future scene I gladly trust with Thee.

Straight to Thy rest above I travel calmly on,

And sing, in life or death, My Lord, Thy will be done!

(Benjamin Schmolck) ~