"Thy will be done"

I read a story about a frequent airline traveler who commented about observing exemplary service on a regular flight. On this occasion, the flight attendants were absolutely fantastic. The traveler noted that the flight crew was the most attentive, responsive flight crew he had ever seen.

So, toward the end of the flight, he stopped one of the flight crew members and said, "Excuse me, I don't mean to bother you, but I fly a lot and I have never seen a flight crew like this. You are the most engaged, enthusiastic, service-oriented flight crew that I've ever seen."

The female flight attendant smiled, leaned in and whispered that he could thank the woman sitting back there in seat 12 B. This woman was the head supervisor for all of the flight attendants of this airline. The boss was on board. The motivation for this entire flight crew was their desire to please their boss, and with that, to do their jobs with excellence.

The Lord's Prayer assumes that our whole life is in view of God. Our prayer, "Your will be done," is our willingness to please the Lord by living, serving and obeying God in everything. Pleasing God moves beyond doing something just because someone is watching but a heart-level desire to serve the Lord with loving faithfulness.

The default setting of our own hearts is to desire that MY will is done. Through prayer we must set aside our own will and choose God's way. This is the important reminder within the Lord's Prayer, "Your will be done."

God has given us free will, meaning that we are wired to decide, make choices, choose directions in our lives. The goal is always to honor God and choose God's way as part of our free will.

We see this intersection of free will and God's will in Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) "Many are the plans in a man's heart but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

There is always a battle of wills going on in our hearts but it only appears to have sides. Nothing will ever stop God's plans or purposes. Our will and purposes must always be aligned with God's desires and plans.

The Lord's Prayer leads us to focus on God's will from the very start. The right attitude of the heart isn't to NOT have a will at all and never ask anything. Instead, we must desire that what we do ask for is directed by and aligned with God's will.

We should desire God's very best for our lives. However, our prayers often flow out of what we decide is best. This is a daily struggle. Choosing God's will over my own is a spiritual discipline, a habit that we need to work at. The Lord's Prayer is the reminder that prayer must be grounded in a desire to choose God's will above all else.