Todays devotion is written by Mike Loveridge
Have you ever really wanted to do something or have something, but it did work out? Have you ever planned something and been really excited about it and then it hasn’t happened as you planned? Or have you ever offered something to someone, really hoping deep down that they won't take it after all? I sometimes like to do this final one with Isaac when he is eating sweets. I ask him for one and then see the anguish on his face as he weighs up the decision of whether to offer me one or not. He often decides to offer me one, but, much to his delight, I usually let him keep it. On the odd occasion that I do take it, he looks so disappointed. He offered but he didn’t really mean it!
In praying this line, ‘May you will be done’, you are putting yourself in line to experience one if not all of these feelings because you are holding out all you plans, ambitions, desires and wishes to God and asking Him to have His way with them. You are saying to God, ‘Use me for your glory as you will.’ It lays aside your will and seeks the will of God for your life. To live like this is exhilarating but daunting at the same time. Exhilarating because God will take you to places you never dreamt of and will bless you in incredible ways but also daunting because it means being out of control of your own life, and fully surrendered to God.
So, what is our motivation for praying like this?
Rev 4:11 says, “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.” First and foremost, we need to remember that we only exist by and for the will of God. God created us, so as our Creator He is the one who gets to determine our purpose here on earth. Just as a potter determines the use of a piece of clay, so God determines the purpose of each of His children. That may sound like God is a controller and we are simply robots, but we need to remember that only in the will of God is true life, true joy and satisfaction forever found. All the time we seek our own way and follow our own path and desires we are leading a life that leads to destruction and eventual misery. If following God and submitting to His will we have a God who has a perfect plan for our lives and wills us to have eternal life with Him.
In order to pray this line and truly mean it and live lives that express it we need to know in our hearts that God’s will is the only will that is fully for my good and God’s glory forever. If we follow our will it may make us happy for a short time but soon it will leave us disappointed and empty. Only by living in God’s will can I be truly happy and free.
Jesus didn’t just tell His disciples to pray this way. He also demonstrated it. In the garden of Gethsemane, right before His death, Jesus prays it Himself when He says to the Father ‘Not my will, but Your will be done!’ (Lk 22:42). Jesus submits Himself to the Father’s will in order to earn our freedom.
Are you willing today to submit your will to God? If you are you will get to enjoy the true freedom and joy that it will bring.
Song for today
You can listen and sing along here.
1. Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in endless praise,
let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as thou shalt choose,
every power as thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,
it shall be thy royal throne.
6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee,
ever, only, all for thee.
Prayer for today
Our loving Heavenly Father,
We thank you for the gift of faith through which we have salvation in Jesus. Thank you for all your many blessings upon us. We thank you that Jesus was willing to lay aside His will and give up His life for the forgiveness of our sins.
We ask today that we may fully surrender our lives to you and that you will show us your will for our lives. We pray that through the strength of your Spirit we may be diligent and effective servants for you.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray,
Amen
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
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