As Luther’s Small Catechism teaches the Lord’s Prayer:

The Third Petition

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.

How is God’s will done? God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die.

This is His good and gracious will.

So we pray this petition and it seems that God isn’t listening, or that God doesn’t care. We pray and we pray for things we think God should want for us, but …

Grandma still dies.

The dog doesn’t come home.

The much longed-for unborn child is still lost, in spite of medical intervention and fervent prayers, he is born too soon, sleeping.

Beloved friends and mentors move away or otherwise distance themselves from us.

Families become estranged and love is lost.

Where is Jesus in our despair, in these seemingly unanswered prayers, when the only response we have left is WHY?

We turn to the comfort and the promises of God’s Eternal Word.

Why did Jesus tarry when He heard His friend Lazarus was ill? As we learn in John 11:1-4, it was so that the Son of God would be glorified. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead it was so we may see Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life.

We could argue that if Jesus raised Lazarus, then why not our beloved dog or Grandma or anything or anyone else that has died? Yes, there will be a new heaven and a new earth but we still live in a sin-stained world which is why we see and encounter death, suffering and disappointment on the daily. Jesus answered an emphatic YES to the prayers of Mary and Martha to show us that YES there is a Resurrection from which believers will rise incorruptible as we learn in Job 19.

Christians of all people have every reason to hope even when our prayers are answered no. We do not grieve as those who will never see loved ones again. We do not grieve as if we have been orphaned or abandoned by our Good Shepherd. We don’t get a pass from the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23) but we do have a Savior walking with us who knows what it is to weep at the death of a friend.

Jesus Himself wept bitter tears at the consequences of following the will of the Father. As He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, and asked for the cup of wrath to somehow be taken from Him, even as He prayed for the Father’s will to be done- Matthew 26:36-39– He took the cup of wrath and drank it to the dregs for the salvation of the world.

Submission to God’s good will often leads to ridicule, hardship, suffering and loss for us in this life. In suffering we are reduced to beggars and we are brought to the saving knowledge that our only refuge is in the wounds of our Savior.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we have no lasting city here, Hebrews 13:12-14, and that in this world we will suffer just as Jesus suffered. But our hope is greater than just our comfort or the things we desire now. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3

God is working out our sanctification and conforming us to His will. It is both beautiful and terrible- terrible because in so doing we encounter both our fear and our selfish human weakness- to pray for the will of God to be done, even though He gives us the gift of faith. He gives us the comfort and peace to rest knowing that He is with us forever.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7..