Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we have also forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

It may seem as if "your kingdom come" and "your will be done" are duplicates or repetitions. What are the differences?

Imagine this: a ruler may be in charge of a kingdom and still meet opposition or objection to to her or his rulership. Isn't it true today thay many can't or don't accept or believe in God or in God's right to rule what God has created?

"Your will be done" can be understood to mean "your will happen." (From the Greek lexicon in the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NIV), edited by Spiros Zodhiates,1996).

When we pray "your will be done", we are saying "your will happen."

We may begin thinking of ourselves and those we know, but we cannot end there. God loves all people equally. You may think "well, our course that's true." The result of knowing this truth is we pray and we act for God's will to happen in all lives. What might this prayer sound like?

We pray for all people to come into relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
We act out this prayer by honestly and warmly welcoming all people who visit or join our church meetings or fellowship gatherings.

We pray for all people to experience health and wellness.
We act out this prayer by supporting ideas and activities that create health care and food access for those who need these things.

We pray for peace and justice, now and in the future.
We act out this prayer by refusing to look the other way, make excuses, or stay silent when prejudice, racism, sexual-physical-financial-emotional abuse happen in the spaces we live, work, or play in.

The prayer is "your will happen." What we ask for, we act for.

What we ask for in faith, we act out in faith.

What is your daily, personal connection to "your will be done"?

Next week: "on earth as it is in heaven."