Matthew 6:9-13

“Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

Some things to think about:
Of course God’s will is done in heaven.  But on earth?  Was 9-11 “God’s will?”  Is child molestation or bankruptcy or divorce “God’s will?”  Though the Bible promises that God is sovereign and that “all things work together for good to those who love him…” the Word also acknowledges that some things “on earth” are not as they should be.  And in this prayer we are invited to ask God that this would change.  We are to address injustice, fear, brokenness, and sin without despair.  We are to ask “Lord, thy will be done here in this sorrow as your will is done in heaven.”  This is bold prayer.  It is declaration.  In this phrase we ask that the very nature of God as revealed in his name would be realized in the real situations of our world.  We pray that “The Lord who heals” (his nature) would reveal his nature in a situation on earth that needs healing.  This is an exciting venture in prayer.  For here we partner with God to see his name glorified in the earth!

Some things to do:
Now we get down to business.  This week begin to take the names of the Lord and prayer them regarding the situations of the world around you.

• In government: prayer with names of the Lord for our civic leaders
• In business: pray with the names of the Lord for your business and career
• In families: pray with the names of the Lord for your family and other families
• In education: pray with the names of the Lord for our next generation
• In church: prayer with the names of the Lord for our local church and churches worldwide
• In you: pray with the names of the Lord for your own body, soul, and spirit.

Some things to talk about:
How do you envision heaven?   What does Jesus mean by asking us to pray that God’s will would be done on our planet as it is done in heaven?  What is the current state of your immediate circle of the world?  How does this prayer change the way you feel?  Does this kind of prayer give you some hope in the face of the overwhelming trouble around you?