It's Up to You
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘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
Have you ever heard of an omakase restaurant? It’s a unique Japanese tradition where the customer leaves it up to the chef to choose his/her meal.
Omakase is a Japanese word that translates, “I’ll leave it up to you.” It comes from the root, “to entrust.”
While I’ve never eaten in such an establishment and would be more than a little nervous to allow someone else to choose what might be good for me (I shudder that I’d be served fish prostate or horsemeat sashimi), there is a parallel to this when it comes to prayer.
The context for the verses above flows out of the disciples’ recognition of the priority that Jesus gave to prayer. Seeing how much it energized and empowered Him, they asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Jesus responded with the now-familiar words we know as “the Lord’s Prayer.” Among other things, He told them to ask for their daily needs to be met, for forgiveness, for a way out of temptation, and for protection from the Evil One.
However part of His instruction suggests something that’s often missed: an attitude of surrender – “Your will be done.” It’s a submission to higher purposes.
Jesus’ instruction on prayer suggests something that’s often missed: an attitude of surrender. “Your will be done.”
Jesus modeled this Himself when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane shortly before His arrest. “Father, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.”
And, in this situation, that “will” meant that the cup didn’t pass. Indeed, Jesus had to drink all of its painful dregs to accomplish our redemption.
To be sure we can and should pour out our hearts to God, asking Him to meet our needs, to change circumstances, and to overturn situations. Indeed, on another occasion, Jesus challenged His disciples to shamelessly “ask…seek…knock.” To be specific and persistent with their requests.
He reminded them over and over again that the Father delighted in hearing what was on His children’s hearts and giving them what they sought.
Yet being human, we are finite, with limited perspective. We don’t know all that’s at play. We don’t see the big picture. We don’t know what’s best. So, it only makes sense to pair our request with a humble acknowledgment of our trust in an all-knowing, all-loving God: “Your will be done.”
Some might see this as demonstrating a lack of faith. For me, however, it’s just the opposite. It’s an indicator of faith – a humble submission to God’s plan and purposes.
In a sense, it’s whispering omakase when we pray. “It’s up to you.”
We can then leave the answer up to Him, confident that He’s trustworthy and will choose to prepare what’s good for us.
“Your will be done.” It’s like whispering, “It’s up to you.” We leave the answer up to Him, confident that He’s trustworthy.
PRAYER
Lord, I’m so glad that you included the phrase “your will be done” in your model prayer. It reminds me that, while I am invited to boldly ask, I also need to remain humbly submissive. May I follow Jesus’ example in doing that. And may Your Kingdom come because I do.
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