The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1907, Page 67

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

67

power of sin in Israel resisted the will of the Lord.
But most wonderfully did God protect Israel till
the time was fulfilled, and all the enmity against
Christ, the crucifixion of the Savior, the bloody
persecutions, the whole power of Rome, could not
hinder God’s will. Christ was triumphant and is
triumphant, and God’s will is ever done.

Yes, God’s good and gracious will is done in
heaven, it is done on earth, and it is done without
our prayer. But is it also done among us? Is it
done in us and by us? It is for this that we pray
in this petition.

God’s good and gracious will is done in us and
by us when we hallow His name and let His king-
dom come. This includes that we believe with our
whole heart in Jesus Christ as our only Lord and
Savior and lead a godly life to His honor and glory.
It is not enough that we say, Lord, Lord, but we
must also do the will’ of Him whose people we
claim to be. Neither is it sufficient if we gladly
-serve the Lord in days of health and prosperity, but
we must also patiently submit ourselves to His will
in days of adversity. We should ever be ready to
humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God,
and patiently bear the cross which the hand of our
loving Father puts upon us. And though our trials
be sore and our losses great, let us not despair, for
as Christians we have possessions which no disease,
no adversity, no power of the world can take away
from us. We have Christ, of whom no one can
deprive us; we have heaven, of which no power can
rob us. Though panting under the heavy load of
the cross, we know that God who sent it can help
us, and that He knows best how to end all our woe.
Even death cannot harm us, but can only bring us
relief from all grief, and close life’s mournful story
by taking us to heavenly glory where we shall join
the angels and saints in hallowing God’s name in
His eternal kingdom.

Fighting and striving against this good and
gracious will of God is the evil counsel and will of
a mighty triumvirate. There is, first of all, the
will of the devil, who from the day he successfully
tempted Adam and Eve is continually plotting and
planning to break and hinder God’s will and bring
about man’s damnation. He is ever busy taking
the Word from our hearts, lest we believe it and be
saved. As the hungry lion prowls about for prey,
so the devil walks about to devour our souls,
1 Pet. 5, 8.

Then there is the will of the world, of the un-
believing and ungodly men among whom we live.

Not satisfied with profaning God’s name and re-
fusing to becomé the subjects of Christ’s kingdom
for themselves, they are always striving to keep us
from Christ and His grace. By means of enticing
words and evil example they seek to draw us upon
the broad road that leads to destruction; or, if we
still continue upon the narrow path, they threaten
us with their enmity and persecution. Thus it was
in the days of the apostles, and thus it is to-day.

But the devil and the world would have no
power over us, and all their guile and might would
avail nothing, were it not for the evil will of our
own flesh. This will of our own flesh is the most
dangerous, just as an enemy within the fort is more
dangerous than a thousand without.

That this evil counsel and will of devil, world,
and flesh be broken and hindered is our earnest
prayer. We pray God to deaden the lusts of the
flesh and all our evil thoughts, to humble our pride,
to bar every evil path, and, if necessary, to chastise
us as does the loving father his son; we pray God
to shield us against the temptations of the devil,
against his deep guile and furious onslaughts; we
pray God to preserve us against the snares of the
world in which we must live, and to keep us un-
spotted from its contaminating touch. To'this end
we further implore Him to keep us steadfast in His
Word and faith unto our end, and thus bring to a
happy end the good work He has begun in us.

Thy will be done on earth, O Lord,
As where in heav’n Thowart adored!
Patience in time of grief bestow,
Obedience in weal and woe;

Our sinful ‘flesh and blood control
That thwart Thy will within the soul.

F. J.

A Christian Keeps Christ’s Word.

No one is a Christian unless he keep the Word
of Christ. And no one keeps it unless he love God.
To keep His Word does not mean to keep the word
of Moses or the teachings of the Law, but the Gospel
of His death and resurrection, of His love and
grace which He shows us in taking our sins upon
Himself and giving His body and blood for them,
so that we may be comforted thereby and learn to
know and to experience His love. And all that

He demands of us is, that we should believe this
and be thankful for it, abide in such faith and con-
fession, and love each other even as He has loved
us, and thus advance His kingdom in love to Him
and for His honor. — Luther.