Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Luke 11:2 The next part of the model prayer deals with submission. Jesus constructed it in two sections, God's Kingdom and God's Will.
"Thy kingdom come" had a very real and obvious meaning to the disciples of Jesus. The prophets had promised a kingdom of God ruled by the Messiah. God's kingdom was first and foremost that promised kingdom. It was not established yet or Jesus would not have told them to pray for it to come. It was however, on it's way and would someday be established over all the earth with Jesus Christ as King. This petition would fill the Roman dominated Israelite with hope as he endured the cruel rule of another.
For us this framework is both petition for a future reality and a present attitude. When I pray is there a place in my prayer for the return of Jesus to establish his kingdom? Is there an attitude of hope which permeates my prayer because I look for this to happen? Do I realize that no matter how difficult it may be now, under the rule of Satan in this world, that someday Jesus will reign and all will be right?
In a nursing home ministry I once led, I was talking to the residents after one of our services. One dear lady asked me, "Do you believe Jesus is coming again?" I told her I certainly did. She smiled very widely as if to say that was the only thing that kept her going. She then said, "Keep looking up, young man. Keep looking up!" I realized that it was more than just the place I should look for Jesus to come in the clouds. It was also the attitude I should have if I really believed and prayed for my Lord to return. How could I be anything but "up?"
Next Jesus told the disciples to pray, "Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven." In heaven is the qualifying statement for describing how God's will was to be done. In heaven God's will is carried out instantaneously by uncountable armies of angels. Angels aren't earthly creatures so who is to do God's will here? We are. His Servants on earth are us and we are responsible to carry out His will. How do the angels carry out God's will? Do they hesitate, make excuses, stale or even ignore God's will? Of course not. When I pray in the room of submission I am saying, "Lord, without condiotion or hesitation, I will serve you. I will carry out your will in my life and through my life wherever you may use me."
If I add this room to my house of prayer, how will it change my prayers? How will it change my life? To honestly and completely yield myself to God's will is to remove any right of ownership to myself, my future or any possession. To pray it, is to make my words a vow of personal servitude in the ministry of God. Every prayer then becomes a surrender of my own desires to God's desires for me.
Listen to the Consecration of Jonathon Edwards one of America's great preachers who led "The Great Awakening"
Jonathon Edwards Consecration
I claim no right to myself- no right to this understanding, this will, these affections that are in me; neither do I have any right to this body or its members-no right to this tongue, to these hand, feet, ears or eyes.
I have given myself clear away and not retained anything of my own. I have been to God this morning and told Him I have given myself wholly to Him. I have given Him every power, so that for the future I claim no right to myself in any respect. I have expressly promised Him, for by His grace I will not fail. I take Him as my whole portion and felicity, looking upon nothing else as any part of my happiness, His law is the rule of my obedience. I will fight with all my might against the world, the flesh, and the devil to the end of my life. I will adhere to the faith of the Gospel, however hazardous and difficult the profession and practice of it may be.
I receive the blessed Spirit as my Teacher, Sanctifier, and only Comforter, and cherish all admonitions to enlighten, purify, confirm, comfort and assist me. This I have done.
I pray God, for the sake of others, to look upon this as a self-dedication, and receive me as His own. Henceforth, I am not to act in any respect as my own. I shall act as my own if I ever make use of any of my powers to do anything that is not to the glory of God, or to fail to make the glorifying of Him my whole and entire business.
If I murmur in the least at afflictions: if I am in any way uncharitable: if I revenge my own case: if I do anything purely to please myself, or omit anything because it is a great denial: if I trust to myself: if I take any praise for any good which Christ does by me: or if I am in any way proud, I shall act as my own and not God's. I purpose to be absolutely His. -Jonathan Edwards.
If we are follwoing Jesus' blueprint then this is the kind of submission each of us should make every time we pray.
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