Already I miss the opportunity to read the devotions that I posted throughout all of lent. It had become a nice habit. It is enough of a habit that I have plopped myself down in front of the computer this evening in the hopes of coming up with something worthwhile to say.
I suppose I could make a comment on one of the readings from today's "One Year Bible" passages.
The one that struck me the most, considering we have just gone through the Passion Week and Easter, is Luke 18:31-34
Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time
31And taking the twelve, he said to them, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. 33And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise." 34But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.It is astounding that Jesus could announce his death in this way and still the disciples didn't get it. It must be a case of seeing what we want to see, or maybe it's just seeing and hearing what we expect to hear. Our expectations often prevent us from seeing what God has for us.
This morning I was listening to the Bible Study podcast from KFUO and Pastor Tom Baker was talking about that petition of the Lord's Prayer that says "Thy will be done." It was brought up during the conversation that some preachers have been known to say that you should never pray in that way! I have heard a number of Pentecostal types saying that sort of thing. Their thinking seemed to be that you should pray as if you expected to get what you are asking for and adding "if it be your will" showed doubt and that would mean your prayer wouldn't work.
What a truly horrible doctrine this is! This is placing your will above the will of God, as if you have more wisdom than God! I think the worst thing about that attitude is that it contains the idea that somehow God does not have what is the absolute best for us as His will. If you understand the incredible love that our Lord has for us how could you possibly think that asking for his will to be done could ever result in anything other than the very best outcome possible in any situation? Then too this doctrine includes a misunderstanding of faith itself. The idea that the result of our prayers depends on the strength of our own belief, on our will, and not on the trustworthiness of the Lord, is simply wrong. Faith is trust in God, not belief in what we can imagine or visualize!
Even Jesus said "Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."
To which we can only say, Amen.
