Thy will be done

SUMMARY: Jesus Christ was a model of complete submission to the will of God. He surrendered his own will to God's plan for his life, even when it meant suffering and death. As followers of Christ, we should also strive to submit to God's will in our lives, even when it is difficult or goes against our desires. By doing so, we will experience spiritual growth and intimacy with Christ. Our prayer should always be "Thy will be done."

The Lord Jesus Christ knew what He was talking about when He instructed His disciples to always pray "Your will be done." His whole life was an expression of a will totally submitted to the greater will of the Father. On one occasion he graphically declared: "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:34). The total identity of Jesus was mired in his absolute subjection to the will of the Father. His coming into the world had been in obedience to God's desire that he serve as a holy sacrifice for the redemption of the world.

When it came time to climb the cross, the Lord experienced the deepest and most overwhelming anguish imaginable. He knew that by obeying God's will, he would have to swallow the most bitter drink that anyone had ever had. However, after asking the Father to exempt him from that bitter drink, he declared: "But not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).