“Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Let us not come into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. [For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.]’ (Matthew 6:9-13)
Let’s drop into teaching mode here. Hope you don’t mind. Jesus said, “On earth…” Understand this… When Adam was created, He was created out of the dust of the ground (Genesis 1 & 2). He was made of earth. What am I getting at here? Jesus’ prayer was that the Father’s will would be done ON EARTH as it is in heaven. In other words, He’s talking about YOU! (Aren’t you made of earth?) So, to fully understand this passage, we have to look at what’s going on in heaven.
In heaven, EVERYTHING jumps when the Father speaks. There is NOTHING that is disobedient to the Father’s words. If He says jump, then everything asks, “Lord, how high?” In this passage Jesus is teaching us the remarkable power of prayer. Prayer has a way of turning things around. He tells us to pray for “…kings and all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.” (1 Timothy 2:2) He tells us to pray for kings and everyone in authority. It’s not your job to change anyone. It’s the Lord’s. But your duty is to pray for them! Why? That the will of God might be done ON EARTH! On the people that think they’re something when they’re really not!
You need to understand the power of prayer. No, some things may not come to pass in YOUR lifetime, but some will. It’s up to God to determine when He’s going to answer your prayer. But that shouldn’t deter you from praying. He’s God, and He does what He wants to do. But He is mindful of the cries of His children!
Husband acting up? Lord, do it on earth! Wife acting strange? Lord, do it on earth! Disobedient children? Lord, do it on earth! God WILL hear the petitions of His children! He may not answer in the way that you want Him to, because His primary goal is that all men be saved and to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:4). He may take your bad situation and save the person that’s causing it! And command YOU to love them until He’s finished working it out! Why? Because He’s doing it “on earth”, on these “earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7) that were designed for destruction, that He is trying to save!
So the next time you are tempted to look at a person instead of look at the spirit that makes that person do what they do, lift your eyes to heaven and say, “Lord, do it on earth as You’re doing it in heaven!” And don’t be surprised if He begins the work in YOU! Don’t be surprised if, when you ask Him to deal with someone else, He begins by dealing with YOU! That’s how He does things sometimes. The neighbor’s dog that keeps barking – He’ll have YOU invite the neighbor over for coffee, and the two of you get to talking, and you present Jesus to him! God is STRANGE sometimes! His ways are far beyond our ways.
So the next time you pray “on earth as it is in heaven” keep in mind that you could be asking Him to work on YOU! Be open to this, and allow His Spirit to do whatever He needs done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Chris McLarney, in his song entitled “On Earth As It Is In Heaven” says these words:
Deep in our hearts / There is a longing for you, Lord
Here in this moment / There is nothing we want more
Humbly we bow / Surrendering all to you
We lay it all down / Lord do what you wanna do
We turn our hearts to you / We are waiting for you
Let your kingdom come / Let your kingdom come
On earth as it is in heaven / Let your will be done
Let your will be done / On earth as it is in heaven
Wherever You lead / We will follow, we will follow You now
Lord we receive
Prayer: Father, Let Your will be done in ME! Let me be a reflection of who You are and all that you have done, and desire to do, in the earth. I surrender myself to be used of You in the manner in which You see fit. I pray, “On earth, oh Lord!” On and in ME today! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.