Q. 192. What do we pray for in the third petition?
A. In the third petition, (which is, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,[o]) acknowledging, that by nature we and all men are not only utterly unable and unwilling to know and do the will of God,[p]
but prone to rebel against his Word,[q] to repine and murmur against his providence,[r] and wholly inclined to do the will of the flesh, and of the devil:[s] we pray, that God
would by his Spirit take away from ourselves and others all blindness,[t] weakness,[v] indisposedness,[w] and perverseness of heart;[x] and
by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will in all things,[y] with the like humility,[z] cheerfulness,[a] faithfulness,[b]
diligence,[c] zeal,[d] sincerity,[e] and constancy,[f] as the angels do in heaven.[g]
In the third petition, (which is, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,) we acknowledge, that by nature we and all men are not only utterly unable and unwilling to know and do the will of God,[p]
| [p]. Rom. 7:18; Job 21:14; 1 Cor. 2:14 Job 21:14 Yet they say to God, 'Depart from us, For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways. Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. |
we acknowledge, that by nature we and all men are prone to rebel against his Word,[q]
| [q]. Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. |
we acknowledge, that by nature we and all men are prone to repine and murmur against his providence,[r]
| [r]. Exod. 17:7; Numb. 14:2 Exodus 17:7 So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" Numbers 14:2 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! |
we acknowledge, that by nature we and all men are wholly inclined to do the will of the flesh, and of the devil:[s]
| [s]. Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, |
we pray, that God would by his Spirit take away from ourselves and others all blindness,[t]
| [t].Ephesians 1:17-18 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, {18} the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, |
we pray, that God would by his Spirit take away from ourselves and others all weakness,[v]
| [v].Ephesians 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, |
we pray, that God would by his Spirit take away from ourselves and others all indisposedness,[w]
| [w].Matthew 26:40-41 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? {41} "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." |
we pray, that God would by his Spirit take away from ourselves and others all perverseness of heart;[x]
| [x].Jeremiah 31:18-19 "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself: 'You have chastised me, and I was chastised, Like an untrained bull; Restore me, and I will return, For You are the LORD my God. {19} Surely, after my turning, I repented; And after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh; I was ashamed, yes, even humiliated, Because I bore the reproach of my youth.' |
we pray, that God would by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will in all things,[y]
| [y].Psalm 119:1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the LORD! Psalm 119:8 I will keep Your statutes; Oh, do not forsake me utterly! Psalm 119:35-36 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. {36} Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness. Acts 21:14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done." |
we pray, that God would by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will in all things, with the like humility,[z] as the angels do in heaven.
| [z].Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? |
we pray, that God would by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will in all things, with the like cheerfulness,[a] as the angels do in heaven.
| [a].2 Samuel 15:25-26 Then the king said to Zadok, "Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place. {26}
"But if He says thus: 'I have no delight in you,' here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him." Job 1:21 And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD." Psalm 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. |
we pray, that God would by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will in all things, with the like faithfulness,[b] as the angels do in heaven.
| [b].Isaiah 38:3 and said, "Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. |
we pray, that God would by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will in all things, with the like diligence,[c] as the angels do in heaven.
| [c].Psalm 119:4-5 You have commanded us To keep Your precepts diligently. {5} Oh, that my ways were directed To keep Your statutes! |
we pray, that God would by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will in all things, with the like zeal,[d] as the angels do in heaven.
| [d].Romans 12:11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; |
we pray, that God would by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will in all things, with the like sincerity,[e] as the angels do in heaven.
| [e].Psalm 119:80 Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, That I may not be ashamed. |
we pray, that God would by his grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to his will in all things, with the like constancy,[f] as the angels do in heaven.
| [f].Psalm 119:112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end. |
as the angels do in heaven.[g]
| [g].Isaiah 6:2-3 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. {3} And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is
the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" Matthew 18:10 "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. |