During Lent, we are focusing on the 68 words of the Lord’s Prayer as a guide to help us examine our own lives, rededicate ourselves to the spiritual disciplines, and prepare ourselves for the mystery of Easter. Lent is a time of introspection, letting the light into our closets, and unclogging our lives of all the things that have distracted us from living a faithful life in Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Prayer, though brief, is filled with deep insight that will lead us faithfully to the cross, but also expectantly to the tomb.

Today, keep this in mind: Prayer is many things. But at its core, prayer is the principle way we align our wills with God’s will.

II. INTRODUCTION: PLANES, TRAINS, and AUTOMOBILES

Have you ever wondered if you were going the ‘wrong way’ in life?

A) VIDEO CLIP

Every one of us, in some way or another, have asked the same question, “How do I know if I am going the ‘right way’ in my life?” We struggle with finding the right direction, wondering what God’s plans are for our lives, while often choosing unfulfilling, even destructive paths. It seems that the hunt for God’s will is sometimes a great cat-and-mouse game, working by trial-and-error, hoping that somehow we will luck up and do what God asks of us. In short, at some time or another, each of us have asked the great question, “How do I know God’s will?”

In fact, God’s will is the very first thing that we pray about in the Lord’s Prayer.

SCRIPTURE #1: Matthew 6:9-13

B) TRANSITION

Every time we say the Lord’s Prayer, we pray that God’s will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. We know that we want God’s will to be done…we know that God’s will is the best way to achieve ultimate peace, joy, and meaning on earth. But do we really want to know God’s will? If we are completely honest with ourselves, we fear that knowing God’s will might disrupt our lives a little too much—asking us to change our lifestyles, give away a little too much money, pack up and move to Africa, teach Sunday School in a roomful of rowdy 3rd graders, forgive that family member in whom we have a grudge, volunteer in the nursery, and ultimately give up control over our own lives. Yes, deep down, we may pray for God’s will be done on earth…but as for us, leave us alone!

But knowing and claiming God’s will for our lives is absolutely essential to living a life that leads us the ‘right way,’ avoiding unnecessary dangers, pitfalls, and despair. Living in God’s will guides us to a life of incredible joy, even in the midst of our suffering; a life of meaningful purpose, even when things around us go awry; and a life that ultimately makes this world a little more like the world to come. So, how do we discover God’s will and how do we live it out?

III) DISCOVERING GOD’S WILL

A) First, it may sound a bit strange, but we come to know God’s will only AFTER we submit ourselves to living in God’s will.

SCRIPTURE #2: Romans 12:1-2

The key word in this verse comes in the third sentence…”Then.” When we live our lives for ourselves, we in fact block God’s will. But, in order to know God’s will, we first must be able to submit to it, offering ourselves as living sacrifices, transforming our minds, and living as citizens of heaven in a foreign land.

How many of us pray, “Just let me know what you want me to do, Lord, then I’ll do it.” The truth is, we will not discover God’s will and plan until we are first willing to trust God and submit to his plan…whatever it may be…”Here I am Lord. Use me as you will.”

Look closely at the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus never instructs his disciples to pray to know God’s will? Only that God’s will be done. When we pray, ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,’ we are not asking what God’s will is, but that we might be able to submit to God’s will…that God’s Will indeed becomes our will… that we might live it out with boldness and courage…I might translate this line in the Lord’s prayer as, “Lord, may your desires be our desires…may your purpose be our purpose…may your dreams for this world by our dreams…and may your plans for my life be my plans…on earth as it is in heaven.”

In the end, if we submit to God’s will, we really do not have to ask what God’s will is, because, in truth… WE ALREADY KNOW IT!

B) We know God’s will because we know the scriptures. Every commandment, every story, every phrase of scripture is the inspired word of God. And, when we know the word of God, we know the will of God.

It surprises me how many complain about biblically illiteracy in the church, and complain that the church is doing a poor job to educate all of us in the great treasure that is God’s word. These are the same people who most often are the ones who cry out to know God’s will when they are faced with life’s tragedies, world disasters, or even major decisions in their lives…yet have yet to open the Bible and read the stories of God’s people as they faced similar crises. These are the same people who expect the church to educate their children through a once a week Sunday School lesson, many of whom attend occasionally. These are the same people who are quick to blame the church for their own lack of personal responsibility to read the scripture daily in their own homes with their own families. Many of us are quick to read Dr. Seuss, Disney, and other stories, but few are reading the classic stories of the Bible that will shape the souls to be in tune to the will of God.

When we hear stories about how God delivered his people from bondage, we can hear how God will deliver us from that which binds us down. When we hear the wisdom of the Ten Commandments, we hear a rational guide to living that leads to a joyous and purpose filled existence. When we hear about the life of Jesus, we can hear a calling to a higher purpose, one that is overflowing with love through service. When we need guidance on marriage, relationships, friendships, hope, despair, work, death, there are stories that guide us…if we have the eyes to see our stories in God’s story.

Jesus’ himself gave a summary of the all the commandments, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Clearly, God’s will for our lives rests in developing an all-out, no holds barred loving relationship with God through an all-out, no holds barred, loving relationship with others. Loving God and Serving our neighbor is clearly the theme of the entire Bible for those who follow Jesus. Don’t you think, then, that Loving God and Serving our neighbor is at the very core of God’s will…and as someone once said, “The rest is just details.” So, before you cry out to God asking to know God’s will in a particular situation, facing a particular decision, or trying to understand a particular problem, maybe we should first think about it terms of loving God with all our heart, soul and strength…and loving our neighbor as ourselves. The first step to know God’s will, is to know God’s word.

B) We also already know God’s will because it is written in our very selves. God does not call us to do anything that God has not already equipped us to do. God’s great vision for our lives has been imprinted in our very gifts, abilities, and uniqueness. (why else do we have fingerprints unlike anyone else?) God’s will is stamped on our very being. Frederick Buechner wrote one of the most powerful descriptions of God’s will, and yet it is so simple, smacking of Biblical truth, that it is hard to ignore. He wrote, “the place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

I am astounded how high school juniors and seniors are bombarded with questions like, “What college are you going to?” “Have you declared a major yet?” and “What do you plan to do with your life?” With every question, we are pressuring these young youth to make a decision that will affect the rest of their lives at the age 17 or 18! They have only begun to uncover the uniqueness of how God made them.

I often challenge the youth who go to college to consider not declaring a major too early. (What’s the rush, really, when we are talking about the rest of your life?) In the first couple of years, take a wide variety of classes, classes you are interested in, classes that will help you discover more about yourself. Then, declare a major of something that illumines your soul, taking classes you won’t want to cut, with textbooks that you can’t wait to read. This is where your deep gladness begins.

To the rest of us, I ask: what do you love to do? What are you crazy about? What would you spend your time doing if you had the chance? Look hard at these things, stop ignoring them, claim them…because God put them there, and they will tell you much about God’s will for your life.

But just because we discover our gifts that give us great joy in life does not mean that we are living in God’s will. Our deep gladness must meet the world’s deep hunger. Our gifts, our abilities, our very personalities were given to us so that we could love the Lord our God and to love our neighbor. We are to use our lives, becoming living sacrifices, offering ourselves to comfort the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, comfort the lonely, and live a life that is in service to others because we are in service to God.

Finding the joy of living in God’s will is as simple as finding a way to share your great joy in meeting the needs of the world. If you love fishing, take a group of inner city kids on a fishing trip. If you love woodworking, teach a woodworking class in a trade school. If you love to read, start reading groups of works that build others souls. If you are good with money, teach new families how to create and live by a budget. If you love to sing, sing in a choir or in a praise band. If you are technologically savvy, start a Bible Study blog. If you love to camp, why not become a scout leader? If you are a loving grandparent, think how you can help the families right here in this church who have no extended family. If you are a great listener, offer your skills to those going through difficult times. I could go on and on, the possibilities are endless. “the place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

Writer Elizabeth O’Conner once wrote, “We perceive [God’s] will when we discern our gifts. Our obedience and surrender to God is in large part our obedience and surrender to our gifts.” What are your gifts? What makes you unique? Have you surrendered yourself to your gifts?

Many of you have been praying for me in the last couple of weeks as I went before the board of ordained ministry for my final interviews after 11 years of work. (I passed by the way). To be honest, I never wanted to be a minister or a preacher. I wanted to be Air Force Pilot. I wanted to make a lot of money. I wanted the easy life. But as I pursued those dreams, I soon discovered that I was unhappy, unmotivated, and unfulfilled. As I examined my life, I discovered that I loved to work at church camps, working with teenagers and children, and found that I was pretty good at it. I was comfortable speaking to large groups, I was able to open people’s eyes to the world’s hurts, and I was able to motivate people to do something about it. When I finally submitted to my gifts, I realized a deep sense of joy, satisfaction and purpose for my life. It was not until I gave up what I WANTED in favor of what GOD DESIGNED ME FOR, that I found true joy and peace.

It may not be God’s will for all of us to be an ordained minister, but as we hunt for God’s will, clearly God has designed each of us in a way to be about meeting the world’s deep needs. The real question is, are we really willing to submit to God’s will?

Well, if we are honest with ourselves…that’s exactly what we pray for, isn’t it?…”Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”