Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
October is upon us and our theme of “Thy Will be Done” is ringing in our ears. We look forward to another month of His will for our church as we move forward with a busy schedule, starting with LWML Sunday and finishing with the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.
As Martin Luther lived the Reformation, “Thy Will be Done” was a phrase that echoed in his ears. He fervently prayed those words multiple times every day in the Lord’s Prayer. Luther understood that God’s will is done even without our prayer, but Luther also understood that we need to pray for His will to be done among us also. Luther rightfully believed that prayer was one of the means God gave us to fulfill His will. Therefore, we must pray to God to give us the strength and the power for God’s will to be done among us also.
Our theme verse for this year also echoes those same ideas. Hebrews 13:20-21 says, “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
In those verses, notice the lead-up and the conclusion to “Thy will be done.” In the lead-up, the focus is not on our own works, mental preparation, meditation, or spirituality. Instead, the focus is about what God is doing and has done to “equip you with everything good” so that “you may do His will.”
After pointing out God’s works, the writer of Hebrews doesn’t just leave us hanging. Instead, he concludes by clarifying how God’s will is done among us also. We aren’t on our own, instead we “do His will… through Jesus Christ.” In other words, thanks to Jesus, by the power of Jesus, and through Jesus, we do God’s will.
Jesus lives a life that is the perfect submission and fulfillment of God’s will. God’s will is for you to have life and salvation. Jesus gives you the power to do “that which is pleasing in His sight.” Jesus is the center of God’s will. Jesus is the center of “Thy Will be Done.” And just as Luther pointed out 500 years ago, it is still all about Jesus.
Let us then always pray to Jesus, so that God’s will is done among us also.
Your Servant in Christ,
Vicar Scheele