Today's Reading: Small Catechism: Lord's Prayer, Third Petition

Daily Lectionary: Judges 2:6-23; Acts 13:13-41

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Small Catechism: Lord's Prayer, Third Petition)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. On behalf of the almighty Lord, thanks for the permission, I guess. . . Now the creator of heaven and earth who worked just fine without you can finally act. Who knows what would have happened without your help. Nobody actually believes that God is impotent to act without your permission. It's just we're wary of what we can't control. God's will is done even without our prayer. We pray in this petition that it be done among us also. We pray in this petition to remember that God's will being done is a good thing.

God doesn't need your permission to do His will because He's stronger than you. This petition is a chance to remember that He's smarter than you. He can even understand how to work the fancy settings on your washing machine. If you can't do that, don't presume to know better than God. Oh, also, He's holier than you, too. He doesn't have to start church by saying "I, a poor miserable sinner," which means His will doesn't get tainted by sin like yours does.

Thy will be done, because God's will is to be merciful to sinners. To you. The world is still full of things we don't understand. "Why?" isn't a super helpful question when the answer is so complex that only the maker of heaven and earth would understand it. This petition is a focus on the "who." Who is your God? The One who redeemed you by dying. The One who won't stand back from your distress. There are some parts of His will that He hides from you because you wouldn't understand, but even more so because you shouldn't have to trouble yourself with having to solve those problems. I don't make my kindergartener prepare dinner. I just tell her she's loved and then I feed her.

So God points us to where His will is visible. Where He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh: on the Cross. Where He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die only to rise again: in the church. Here, God makes clear that His will is to save sinners like us. It's done even without our asking. We get to pray and find comfort that it's done among us also. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Your gracious will on earth be done As it is done before Your throne, That patiently we may obey Throughout our lives all that You say. Curb flesh and blood and ev'ry ill That sets itself against Your will. ("Our Father, Who from Heaven Above" LSB 766, st.4)

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Duane Bamsch