Your Will Be Done

Matthew 6: 9-10 (NRSV)

Pray, then, in this way: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

I have prayed this prayer thousands of times in my lifetime. It is engraved in my brain because of its short phrases and easy rhyme. But how often have I thought of its meaning? What would happen if I lived a life everyday consciously seeking to do God’s will on earth?

Recently Jimmy Carter died at the age of 100. His long life had many phases, and he is being reevaluated now in light of all his actions on earth after his single-term presidency.

In an interview in the 1990s, Carter shared a memory from a sermon that had influenced his life. The minister asked, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” He said that he tried to live his life accordingly.

One of Jimmy and Rosalind Carter’s commitments was Habitat for Humanity, and over the years after his presidency they led work projects in the US and internationally that built over 4300 homes and shone a spotlight on communities devastated by hurricanes and poverty.

Jimmy Carter was also an advocate for peace throughout the world and met with leaders and monitored fair elections. His actions helped maintain peace in the Middle East for many years. Carter also worked to eradicate diseases in poverty-stricken areas. He worked with the World Health organization to wipe out a devastating disease called Guinea worm disease. Because of these efforts, the disease has nearly been wiped out, from 3.5 million cases in the mid-1980s to 25 cases in 2016.

Throughout his life, Carter worked so that God’s will would be done on earth. He was not always successful but he was a beacon for his lifetime. He loved his neighbors all over the world. If Jimmy Carter were tried for being a Christian today, he would be found guilty.

Let us pray:

Dear God, help us to work each day to discern your will and bring your kingdom to earth. Thank you for all those who have come before us to demonstrate your love and guide us on our way. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

This podcast is written by Laura Derr and read by Amy Large.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.