Thy Will Be Done

John 17:24-26

The perfect unified will of God the Father and God the Son is a force that cannot be thwarted. God's will is always accomplished, because there is no greater power in heaven or on earth. In the Old Testament He was referred to as Elohim, the Ruler or Judge, as the Almighty and as Mighty God. In the New Testament He is called "ho kurios ho pantokrator," the all-powerful one, the Lord God Almighty.

What a wonderful assurance we have then in these final words of Jesus' prayer. He says, "Father, I will that they also... be with me. It is Jesus' will that we should be with Him wherever He goes. Indeed, He had promised His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them in God's house where they could be with Him forever. This was so important to Jesus that He made it part of the last words of His prayer, almost in the form of a demand. The Father did not mind the demand, however, because it is also His will for us to be with Jesus.

We are the ones whom the Father has given to the Son and we are the ones for whom the Father has given His Son. It has been His plan for us to be with Him and Jesus since before the creation of the world. What then can stand in our way? Who or what could thwart the undivided will and power of the Godhead?

It is also Jesus' will for us to see Him in the glory that rightly belonged to Him from the beginning and that the Father has restored to Him. John wrote that this would certainly happen. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2) We shall see Him in all of His divine splendor. This is something that no man has ever witnessed, because He is too magnificent for a carnal being to look at. Moses was only allowed a glimpse of God's backside and he came down from that mountaintop experience with his face glowing from God's glory. The glow was so bright that the people of Israel were frightened by it (Exodus 33:12-23; 34:1-35). We, however, shall see the fullness of His divine glory and shall worship Him day and night forever.

God loved Jesus since before the foundation of the world. Proverbs 8 is very much like John 1, describing Jesus as Wisdom similar to the way John describes Him as the Word. "I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When [there were] no depths, I was brought forth; when [there were] no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I [was] there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, [as] one brought up [with him]: and I was daily [his] delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights [were] with the sons of men." (Proverbs 8:20-31)

Jesus loved us, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." (Ephesians 1:4) Now He asks that God would love us the way He loved Jesus and that His love would be in us to be shared with others. That makes us suitable vessels for Jesus to dwell in us through the agency of the Holy Spirit, and we are His temple.

This is the will of God for you and for me. It is not something that will happen in the future, because God has already willed it and His will must be done. It is not something we should hope for, but something that we should rejoice in right now. God's will has been done, but it is a process and not a single event.

He is changing you even as you read this devotion. If you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are with Him. You have already seen a glimpse of His glory as He transformed you from a sinner to a saint. His Father's love for Him becomes more evident in you each day. Let that love bring joy to you and, through you, let it bring hope to others.

Before The Throne:

Praise God for loving you with the same love that He has for Jesus. Ask Him to frequently remind you of that love so that your joy might be full. Pray that His love will be revealed through you to others. Ask Him to make you radiate His presence in your life so that everyone you meet will marvel at His goodness. Ask Him to keep you holy, a temple that is suitable for the presence and worship of the Holy Spirit. Pray, "My Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy will be done in my life, as it is in heaven."

For Further Study:

(v.24) * I will. Joh 12:26; 14:3; Mt 25:21,23; 26:29; Lu 12:37; 22:28-30; 23:43; 2Co 5:8; Php 1:23; 1Th 4:17; Re 3:21; 7:14-17; * may. Ge 45:13; 1Co 13:12; 2Co 3:18; 4:6; 1Jo 3:2; Re 21:22; * for. Pr 8:21-31;

(v.25) * righteous. Joh Isa 45:21; Ro 3:26; * the world. Joh 8:19,55; 15:21; 16:3; Mt 11:27; Lu 10:22; Ac 17:23; 26:18; Ro 1:28; 3:11; 1Co 1:21; 15:34; 2Co 4:4; Ga 4:8,9; 2Th 1:8; Heb 8:11; 1Jo 5:19,20; Re 13:8; * but. Joh 1:18; 5:19,20; 7:29; 10:15; * these. Joh 6:19; 16:27,30; Mt 16:16;

(v.26) * I have. Joh 8:50; 15:15; Ps 22:22; Heb 2:12; * that. Joh 14:23; 15:9; Eph 1:6,22,23; 2:4,5; 5:30,32; 2Th 2:16; * and I. Joh 6:56; 14:20; 15:4; Ro 8:10; 1Co 1:30; 12:12; Ga 2:20; Eph 3:17; Col 1:27; 2:10; 3:11; 1Jo 3:24; 4:13,14;

For Further Study is an edited excerpt from The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.