When Jesus taught His disciples to hope, He gave them phrases which have echoed by centuries: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your title. Your kingdom come…” (Matthew 6:9-10).
Most of us rush previous these three small phrases—“Your kingdom come”—with out realizing they’re the hinge on which your entire Lord’s Prayer turns. They don’t seem to be a well mannered want tacked onto the start of a religious purchasing record. They’re a revolution in six syllables.
What Are We Really Asking For?
Each time we pray “Your kingdom come,” we’re asking God to do two issues directly:
- Come and rule right here as You rule there.
In heaven, God’s will is completed completely, immediately, joyfully. On earth? Not a lot. Once we say these phrases, we’re pleading, “Let earth begin wanting much more like heaven—beginning proper now, beginning with me.” - Come and end what You began.
We’re not simply asking for incremental ethical enchancment. We’re eager for the day when Jesus returns, evil is judged, tears are wiped away, and the earth is full of the information of the Lord because the waters cowl the ocean. In different phrases, we’re praying, “Maranatha—come, Lord Jesus!”
That’s breathtakingly daring. We’re inviting the rightful King to invade historical past once more.
Why This Petition Comes Second (and Why That Issues)
Discover the order. First: “Hallowed be Your title.”
Solely then: “Your kingdom come.”
We don’t start with our wants and even with the world’s brokenness. We start with worship. We don’t ask God to advance our private empire and even our favourite political platform. We ask Him to glorify His personal title by establishing His rule. The dominion we lengthy for isn’t a baptized model of our personal agenda; it’s the reign of God in all its unsettling, wonderful otherness.
Residing the Prayer
If “Your kingdom come” is greater than sentiment, it should change how we reside between the “already” and the “not but.”
- Once we forgive somebody who wounded us deeply, a tiny outpost of the dominion is planted.
- Once we converse up for the unvoiced, once we feed the hungry, once we refuse to return evil for evil—we’re pulling heaven’s future into earth’s current.
- Once we share the gospel with a neighbor, we’re appearing as heralds of a coming King.
Each act of justice, each tear wiped from a cheek, each confession of sin is a foretaste of the day when the kingdoms of this world lastly turn out to be the dominion of our Lord and of His Christ.
The Harmful Prayer
C.S. Lewis as soon as wrote that we regularly deal with God like a “grandfather in heaven” whose plan for the universe is mainly to make us comfy. However once we pray “Your kingdom come,” we’re signing up for one thing much more harmful. We’re saying:
- Rearrange no matter wants rearranging in me.
- Overturn no matter thrones (together with mine) want overturning.
- Break no matter wants breaking in order that Your rule will be seen.
For this reason many people mumble this line rapidly. We sense that if God really answered it, our lives may by no means look the identical.
Till He Comes
So hold praying it—slowly, intentionally, expectantly.
Your kingdom come.
In my dwelling. In my office. In my church. In my metropolis. Within the darkest corners of the world.
And in me.
As a result of someday the sky will cut up, the trumpet will sound, and each prayer that ever pleaded “Your kingdom come” will probably be answered with a thunderous “It’s executed.”
Till that day, probably the most revolutionary factor you are able to do is get in your knees and whisper:
Your kingdom come.
After which get up and reside prefer it’s already on the way in which.
As a result of it’s.
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