Father...Thy Will Be Done

In Matthew 6:9-13, we find the Lord's Prayer, one of the best known passages in the entire Bible.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

As Christ teaches us to pray to the Father, notice the highlighted words in verse 10.

On Friday I was reading Matthew 26 and encountered the following excerpt from Jesus Christ's time in the Garden of Gethsemane, hours before His crucifixion:

42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Notice the highlighted words. In the Greek, they are also identical phrases. As Jesus taught us to pray for His Father's will to be done, so He, too, prayed for His Father's will to be done.

Notice, too, that the will of the Father was not something to be "enjoyed," in Christ's case: He was about to suffer the punishment for the sins of all mankind. The will of God in our lives is not always something we look forward to with glee and anticipation; it may be something difficult or painful. However, if it is God's will, it is the best thing we can experience at that time. Whenever He brings challenges or trials into our lives, it is for our good and for His glory.

So at all times, let us, like Jesus Christ, say "Thy will be done."