Sunday, September 27, 2026
“May we Thy precepts, Lord, fulfill / And do on earth our Father’s will / As angels do above; / Still walk in Christ, the living way. / With all Thy children and obey / The law of Christian love.”
In the Lord’s Prayer we say, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We want to carry out our Father’s will on earth just as the angels do in heaven. What is the work of the angels? They offer unceasing praise to God and serve as His messengers. Angels carried out God’s will on earth in the unfolding plan of salvation. Angels brought the Word of God to Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph, announcing the coming births of John the Baptist and Jesus. Angels celebrated Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and, years later, strengthened the Savior as He prayed in Gethsemane. Angels announced the joyful news that Jesus had risen from the dead and, at His ascension, angels assured the disciples that their Lord would return. At God’s command, angels brought the apostles out of prison and sent them out again to preach the Gospel. The holy angels carry out God’s will on earth, and according to His will the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection must be proclaimed! The angels are “ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14b).
We do the work of angels as we offer praise to God with our songs and prayers. We do our Father’s will on earth as we tell people the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, speaking to them about the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life granted by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Angels are sent to serve for the sake of those who trust in Jesus, and we join in their work when we go into the world to serve others: our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those who do not yet know the Lord.
In our angelic work of praising God and serving others, we walk in “Christ, the living way.” That living way is the way of love. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). We seek to do our Father’s will on earth. We want to obey Jesus’ precepts, that is, His commands, and that means walking in love as Jesus did, “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:14).
WE PRAY: Heavenly Father, help me to share in the work of angels and do Your will on earth as it is done in heaven. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “May We Thy Precepts, Lord, Fulfill,” which is number 698 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions: