“Thy Will Be Done”
Dear church,
We say this and pray this every single Sunday, and at the end of every council meeting: “Thy will be done.” It’s a powerful statement. Do we know how powerful? It’s part of the Lord’s prayer and it’s easier said than done. I remember a few years ago when we worked on the Devotional Book Project, one of our writers was struggling with this very topic and we had a long telephone conversation about it. “What is the will of God?” he asked. “How can I know?” So, perhaps others have struggled with that question as well. Today we are exploring this topic because in the Epistle reading Jesus is praised as one who was singularly obedient to the will of God, to the point that he suffered and died on the cross. And in the gospel reading he gives us an example of two brothers, one who said he would do what his father asked of him but didn’t. And the other who said “no” and later changed his mind and did what he was asked. By the way, any similarities to existing pairs of brothers or siblings are unintended. The point of Jesus’ short teaching story is abundantly clear. What matters most is that we do God’s will, not that we have good intentions or say nice prayers about it or that our heart is in the right place. Actions matter. Showing up matters. I am reminded of the old saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
But back to the original question… How do we know what this invisible, mysterious God, whom we can never fully describe, define or imagine, the Holy One, wants us to do? Is it even possible to know God’s will? Is it not almost pretentious to say that we do?
Allow me to try an answer, imperfect as it will be. First, going straight from the gospel, I believe that whatever we do out of true love can never be against God’s will. If we are not sure about a decision, it’s always good to ask, “What would be the loving thing to do in this situation?” More often than not, that question will send us on a path to fulfill God’s will. It may not be a perfect guide, but a pretty good one, acting out of love!
Second, often times when Jesus is asked about the will of God, he goes back to Scripture and tradition, the old basics, nothing complicated. Sure, sometimes he also challenges Scripture and tradition, reinterprets it, supersedes it, but more often he just quotes it because it hasn’t lost any relevance. When the rich young man asks him how he can reach eternal life and be in the presence of God forever, our Lord suggests doing his will. When the young man asks what that is, Jesus says, “Didn’t you go to Sunday school? You have been taught.” And sure enough, the young man comes up with most of the Ten Commandments, the ethical bedrock of the Bible. And then the young man says, “I have done this. I’m bored with this. Is there anything else that I missed?”
Only then Jesus offers his famous, almost impossible suggestion, “Sell everything you have and give it to the poor.” … Which means, if we want to know the will of God, there are always ways to go deeper with it, to love more radically and unselfishly. Going to the cross or selling your possessions is not for everyone but if you seek God’s will sincerely and you become bored with the ordinary commandments, there is more you can do. Sacrifice will come your way. The history of religion is filled with people who said, “I am bored with not killing people and not stealing and not committing adultery. I want to do something more meaningful.” Francis of Assisi literally gave up wealth and served the poor. Albert Schweitzer gave up his burgeoning academic career and started a hospital in tropical Africa. Rosa Parks stood up and sat in a bus and changed the conversation about Civil Rights in America. She was a woman of faith. So, make a note to yourself: if you are bored with the ordinary commandments or inspired to seek more, there is always more you can do to fulfill the will of God.
So here is my third and final point. After we have practiced love and adhered to the religious and ethical requirements of the commandments, and we still wonder about the will of God, it’s time to pray. Perhaps we have deceived ourselves in some way. In fact, we probably quietly deceive ourselves quite often. We humans are good at that. We convince ourselves of our innocence with logical arguments. But prayer leads us to a deeper and more honest place. It can help with healthy self-awareness; it can help us discern our call in life, which is connected to the will of God. Prayer can also help us to stay hungry and seek more. I pray that God may lead you into prayer and discernment and seeking the will of God, whether you are young, middle aged or retired. We all pray together, “Thy will be done.” And even if we don’t always know where it might lead us, it’s an important prayer. “Lead us, O Lord! Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!” And the most important part is actually doing it.
Amen.
