Not Mine, But Thine
Reflecting on the Lord's Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13 NIV
I was meditating on this all-too-familiar passage one morning when the Spirit asked me: Whose kingdom do you seek? Whose will do you want done?
This question stunned me. What is truly my will? What do I really want in life? What kingdom am I trying to build? Moreover, I was confronted by the fact that I was selfishly seeking my kingdom, my will. I wanted things my way.
This is often how sin manifests itself in our lives. In the West, we grow up with inflated views of ourselves because we grew up with people asking us about our wills and our little kingdoms.
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
“What university do you plan on attending?”
“Have you developed a set of goals to motivate you?”
These are little kingdom-building objectives. The myth of the American Dream is about working hard and sacrificing time with our families so that we can retire early and live comfortably for the rest of our lives. It is in our will to be comfortable and financially secure. Christians, too, get sucked in to this mentality (why are Dave Ramsey Courses are so popular in Church circles?).
In America, “my will” is my comfort and entertainment. Discomfort and boredom are the enemies.
This isn’t unique to America or the West. Every culture and nation throughout human history has their values and dreams. In many eastern cultures, “my will” is to have honor. Shame is the enemy.
Fundamentally, it is sin. Adam and Eve fell because Satan allured them with the idea of building their little kingdom in opposition to God’s. It was their will that won out and caused them to rebel against God. Humanity has been rebelling ever since by building little kingdoms and pursuing their will.
Where Wills and Kingdoms Collide
When Jesus’ disciples came to Jesus asking Him about prayer, they too had a kingdom objective. Their “will” was to see Jesus become a political Messiah and overthrow their Roman oppressors 1
So when Jesus taught His followers to pray, He cried out:
“Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,”
Since this is a prayer that Jesus wants us to pour forth from the heart, it means that God’s kingdom must overcome my kingdom. God’s will must take the place of my will.
Another way to pray this portion is this:
“Not my kingdom, but Your kingdom come, not my will, but your will be done.”
This became what I call the “Not mine but Thine” prayer.
A Quick-Draw Prayer
I encourage you, reader, not to ignore the Lord’s prayer or reduce it to a formula for structuring your prayers.2 Rather, look at it as a way to reframe your perspective, or reset your heart and desires on God.
God is the provider (Daily bread). We are to desire His way of life (His Kingdom). We are to desire His glory (His Will) and feel remorse when we offend Him (forgive us).
Moreover, the Lord’s Prayer can be used as a mantra. “Not mine but Thine” is a great way to stop myself, or at least help redirect selfish and sinful attitudes. I often remind myself of this prayer and repeat it myself like a mantra: “Not mine, but Thine!”
Next, I will slowly expand it as a prayer:
“Not my will, Lord (but Yours).”
“Not my little, petty kingdom, Lord, but Your kingdom, come!”
“Forgive me for my sinful behavior and words, Lord!”
“Help me to remember that You alone provide my daily bread, there is nothing else I need!”
“My God, I want to glorify Your name hear on earth as it is glorified in heaven. Set me straight.”
“Finally, help guard myself from the temptation to pursue my kingdom again.”
I cannot help but mention how this reminds me of a brilliantly hillarious scene from the Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” in which the Jewish resistance leader shakes his fist and shouts, “What have the Romans ever done for us?” After a moment of silent hesitation, a follower quips, “the aqueducts.” Another volunteered, “and it’s safe to walk the streets at night, too!”
Looking at you, ACTS!