Articles & Devotionals
Your Will Be Done
Your will be done.
With all of the issues that we are facing in this time from COVID-19 concerns and the worry associated to contracting a virus that is invisible and fatal to many, to the rioting and destruction that many cities are facing due to the death of a man at the hands of those designated to provide order (Romans 13:1-6), we can maintain hope and be encouraged. How can we be encouraged in the midst of all these issues? We have a citizenship that supersedes being called American, black, white, democrat, or republican. Philippians 3:20 reminds us that our citizenship is NOT focused on earthly things (Politics, Possessions, earthly controversies) but rather it is our citizenship is in Heaven. This citizenship draws the multitude of the whole to be of a single mind and of a single purpose calling us members of the household of God, citizens WITH the saints in Ephesians 2:19. Brethren, I will never cause a divide among you to voice my support of a politician, sports figure, event, or popular subject matter. My citizenship is with the saints, the concerns of this world will NOT supplant my goal of heaven.
We have offered prayers for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have offered prayers for the ability to meet with one another again. Although we have technology that has allowed us to worship in spirit together in real-time, there is NO substitute for meeting with one another physically! We have exercised our ability to worship in spirit in these times and we search the scriptures to base our worship on truth because our Father in Heaven requires us to do this in John 4:24. We have prayed for peace in our nation.
Jesus prayed. When the time for Christ had finally reached the crescendo and His time on this earth was nearly completed, our Savior pleaded with our Father to “let this cup pass from me”. I am convinced that our Lord was not necessarily asking to avoid the cross because that would nullify righteousness but rather as in all things a request that the cup would pass in the process of completing the task. Hebrews 9:24-28 provides the insight that we were lacking in the shadow of the Old Testament sacrifices and our NEED for Christ to sacrifice Himself once and for ALL.
He concluded His request by acknowledging that it was the Father’s will and not His own that was more superior. Christ who is the express image of His person (Hebrews 1:3) conceded to the Father that regardless of His desires that Jesus humbled Himself, and also had a desire that the Father’s will would be accepted. In our prayers and through tears of pleading and our sorrowful hearts of mourning. When our prayers are driven by emotions that refuse to be appeased by any reassurances of others. When health and physical welfare are in jeopardy and our fears are NOT allayed as the song that we often sing promises. When we are in our war rooms and alone in our cars and the words pour out of the depths of our soul and we would that tears like blood would flow from our eyes to certify our petition. Let us be willing to say “Not my will, but Your will be done” and allow that resolution to remove all anxiety from our minds because He is in control.
Not my will Lord, but Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!