Proverbs 20:11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.

There is no need to complicate this proverb.

A doctor of theology I respect pointed out to us that mankind loves to make things complicated. He didn’t have to explain the statement because everyone sitting before him at that moment had shown themselves to be guilty of that by their own conduct.

Allow me to demonstrate.

God is love.

Who wants to argue that point? Only those who do not believe that God exists. They have no experience with the living God that reveals to them that quality of His character.

Some might complicate the conversation by challenging the comment by saying “Prove it.”

Psalm 9:16 The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah

If God has not made Himself known to them it is because they are caught in the snare of their own conduct. It is not for us to prove God exists.  

Higgaion in Psa 9:16 it is a musical sign, denoting probably a pause in the instrumental interlude. It is a sign from God delivered by his servant as an opportunity to meditate on what has been said. It can be seen in the conduct of children that fidget and cannot sit still. BLB.ORG

That proverb proves itself in our own conduct. There is no need to complicate the Word beyond seeing our own conduct in receiving His Word.

Luke 14:18a But they all alike began to make excuses.

Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

Those who refuse to believe His Word will never discover God is love. It is just that simple.

Did I make that too complicated?

Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

What do we know about God’s will as it is done in heaven?

Psalm 2:4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

If we look to the definition of derision we might discover something about His will in heaven.

Strong’s definition of lâʻag, law-ag’; a primitive root; to deride; by implication (as if imitating a foreigner) to speak unintelligibly.

God has expressed His attitude about mankind in human terms. Knowing God as we do, mocking is not a Godly attitude, it is a human attribute. Perhaps deride would be more expressive since God laughed. He laughed it off since we hold no power over God’s will, no matter what we think or do. That matches more closely our understanding of God’s sovereignty. 

This prayer which we call the Lord’s prayer, is given to us to be used, understood, and applied now as He sits on the throne of heaven with all things being within His will as Lord oover all.

John 16:26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf;

There are three ways to examine this verse. One is that Jesus is Lord and in charge and does not need the Father’s permission to enact His own will. The second is that our prayers will not change God’s will. The third is one I personally can relate to in human terms; Jesus is literally saying, “I would never talk to my Father like that.”

Asking in His name is equivalent to speaking for Him as a bride might speak for her husband. If they have one mind, then she will never speak out on her own behalf, which is what Jesus tells us at the end of the verse. The very next verse says “the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me”.

If we really want to do God’s will, which we do not know, then He has told us how to do that.

“Love my Son.”