Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done

. . .On Earth as in Heaven. . .


All of God’s children want to live their lives according to God’s will. What would our churches, our homes, our communities, our nations, even our world look like if we allowed God’s will to be first in our lives? If we even asked God to guide us through any activity or project?

Our churches would be full. They wouldn’t have any budget issues. Our homes would be peaceful and pleasant. The divorce rate wouldn’t exist. Our communities would be safer places to live. The crime rate would drop to zero. People wouldn’t be afraid to get out at night. Our nations would enjoy a peace unknown to present-day countries.

In order for these lofty desires to come to reality, God’s people have to truly seek His rule in their lives. We have to submit ourselves to God and let Him guide and direct us through the events of our lives.

Our Father in Heaven,

Hallowed be Your Name. . .

Christianity is about the relationship between God and humankind. God the Creator becomes our Father. He lovingly takes on this parental role for all who accept Him. We notice the pronoun used here. Jesus the Son established God’s relationship to all.

We attempt to teach young children that God loves all he creates--whether or not He see that person as good. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves of God’s love for the person who sins but not the evil they are doing.

His children are to honor God’s name. Song writers remind us of this quite often, using such words as: “Wonderful, Awesome, Marvelous, and Blessed.” We honor Him by striving to keep His laws, following His teaching, and reading the Word. Praying and seeking the Wisdom he offers are also way of honoring God.

And I Will Dwell in The House of The Lord Forever.

God’s children desire to live in Heaven with God at the time He calls them. This calling home by the Lord comes out of His goodness and mercy. Our verse says, dwell. Believers will not just visit. Their future home is in Heaven. This verse is a statement of faith. Being with God in His home is a certainty.

While we are on this earth we sometimes move to another house. Our home in Heaven is forever. We won’t ever find our home in Heaven getting too small or becoming too large to take care of. It won’t need painting. We will never have to consider remodeling it. God builds our house on the other side and He builds it to perfection.

God calls His children as their reward for walking the walk and talking the talk while they were here on earth.

Surely Goodness and Mercy

. . . Will Follow Me All The Days of My Life

God gives us gifts and experiences that are beneficial to us. We hear of a friend who is going through a difficult time and we have been through the very same problem or something similar. While we experienced the circumstances, we were not able to think about it at that time but God’s goodness guided us through. Now because of His mercy, we can share with the friend who contacts us and seeks our guidance.

God’s goodness allows us to continue when we have those times of great stress. His mercy extended to us grants pardon when we are guilty of sin against Him. He excuses us from guilt when we least deserve it.

When we walk with God, we can be certain of our salvation. We realize we will receive God’s goodness and mercy for the rest of our lives. Now that is not to say we won’t ever have problems or difficult times but we will receive God’s guidance and compassion to carry us through to victory.

You Anoint my Head with Oil,

. . . My Cup Overflows.


God, the Shepherd, makes us holy -sets us apart-so that we reflect Him in our daily lives. When God anoints us, He equips us to do work for the Kingdom. He softens our hearts, gives us discernment, guides us in our days, and gives the right words to say.

We spend time each November listing things we are thankful for. Might these items be results of God’s act of making us holy? The answer here could be some but not all.

We see persons who never seem to exhibit spiritual growth in their lives. Do some of God’s children receive more of God than others? The answer here could be God chooses the Spiritual gifts He wants each of us to have but it is up to us to develop them. Is it because God loves them any less than He loves the missionary or the evangelist? No, God loves us all the same.

You Prepare a Table Before Me

. . .In the Presence of My Enemies

God provides special moments-just for us-when circumstances that could tear us apart or hem us in. Someone complements us on how we look. We receive a phone call from a friend who knows we have transportation problems. She offers to pick us up to go to a meeting or to the hospital to sit with a friend’s family. Or an unexpected package arrives with all sorts of nice cookies and candies and gadgets just for us and our family. Someone compliments us on how we look. They notice our new outfit. They notice we are losing weight. These moments are special because the initiators don’t know we might be experiencing a tough time-no one except us, God and his adversary.

God leads us into a personal Bible study that transforms our minds and our thinking and then the way we react to certain stressful incidents touching our lives.

God places our names on the hearts of these people who care about us because He loves us. Our friends are vessels for His blessings. When we face a trial, God assures us He will provide something to help us through the harsh time-even when the enemy is at work on us.

God does this out of His goodness.

Your Rod and Your Staff, They Comfort Me

Your Rod and Your Staff, They Comfort Me

A shepherd uses tools to assist him in caring for his sheep. He employs a rod, a straight pole-like apparatus to check the sheep coats for hidden problems. He can also use it as a weapon against wild animals. The rod also acts as an extension of the herder’s arm.

Each shepherd has a staff, a hook-like tool that was unique to his profession. No other worker in any calling uses a staff. The staff comes in handy when a shepherd is standing watch and gets tired. He can lean against it and prop himself up. Each shepherd makes his own staff and rod. The young shepherd goes into woods and selects the wood he wants to fashion into his tools. They make their staff in proportion to their own height.

The shepherd uses his staff to place new-born lambs next to their mothers. If the shepherd handles the babies, the mother could smell the scent of the shepherd on the lamb and will have nothing to do with it. The staff is also a rescue tool. A young lamb or sheep might get lodged between two boulders. The shepherd might see there is only so much room. He uses the staff’s hook end to get a grip on the endangered sheep and allows it to go free.

Our Heavenly Father, our Shepherd, who loves us very much, comforts us in ways He chooses. He uses His Word. He employs others to speak kindnesses to us. He soothes those who hurt.