In last week’s blog, I discussed that the name of God is so sacred that we dishonor him if we use it as a common expression or with a cavalier attitude. One of the reasons that name is so hallowed is that our God is our King.
A king must be worthy to rule if he is to benefit his people. Since a king shares his authority with no one, God could not be our King if he were not the one and only ruler of the universe: “I am the Lord; there is no other God” (Isaiah 45a NLT). His authority, sovereignty, and uniqueness must be established in our hearts before we can give him proper honor, glory, and willing obedience.
Since he is a king and also our Father that means that we are princes and princesses. He is on our side (Romans 8:31), no one can snatch us out of his hand (John 10:28) and no one and nothing can separate us from his love (Romans 8:35-39). When we feel as if our trials and tribulations are ganging up on us, we can say, “I am going to sic my daddy on you. My daddy is the King of kings so you’re going to be sorry!”
We can be assured of God’s victory and ours as his children because he is infinitely greater, wiser and more powerful than the most powerful human being on earth.
A Fresh Look at the Lord’s Prayer
“Your Will Be Done on Earth As It Is In Heaven”
We have already established the fact that our God is King and no one is his competitor. The Father’s reign extends to everything above, on, and beneath the earth and in the universe beyond. His plans and purposes will come to pass in heaven and earth and those who refuse to acknowledge his existence and rule in no way reduce his power or authority.
Someone once pointed out that the very fact that Jesus instructed us to pray for the Father’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven indicates that his will is not currently being done in all ways or in all places. Man is using his God-given free will to choose evil and bring another little bit of hell on earth.
Our Creator God originally meant for love, light, unspoiled beauty, life, truth, and goodness to reign on earth and for man to be benevolent overseers as his representatives (Genesis 1:26). But man chose to disobey God and sin and evil entered the world.
Someone else once said that if we are going to be angry with God for not intervening against evil, then who are we going to blame for the good in the world? As redeemed children of the King, as those being conformed into the image of his dear Son (Romans 8:29), we are privileged to partner with our Daddy God to see his will done on earth. Through the indwelling power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can make daily choices that bring goodness into the lives of others and of our own.
The Father’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven concerns not just the present conditions but the future of our world. In Revelation 21:5, the Apostle John says that “He who sits on the throne,” declared this about the future:“‘Behold I am making all things new.’” (NASB Emphasis mine). Other Scripture references that support this view of a new heaven and new earth unmarred by sin, death or evil are 2 Peter 3:12, Isaiah 11:6, and Romans 8:19-23.*
We will not see the perfect will of the Father established on this earth until Christ makes his throne among us and every knee bows before him and acknowledges he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Until then, clad in the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17) we battle unseen forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). But we love people by sharing the good news of salvation through Christ, ministering to their physical and emotional needs (James 1:27) and opposing injustice wherever we see it (Proverbs 24:11).
Also see my blog, Conversations With a Tiger published July 27, 2015
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