God’s kingdom, God’s will
Scripture: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it
is in heaven. Matthew 6:10
Observation: After
teaching us to address God as our Abba Father who is in Heaven, our Lord moves
on to teach us the first priority of prayer. It is not our own needs and wants
but rather God’s kingdom, God’s will.
What
does it mean when we pray “Your kingdom come?” What is God’s kingdom? In the
spiritual sense, God’s kingdom is extended as more and more people believe in
Jesus Christ and join the church as God’s family. It doesn’t matter whether we
are Presbyterian or Baptist or Anglican or Charismatic. It’s still God’s
kingdom, God’s church advancing in the world to snatch lost souls from the
gates of hell. Too often, we are concerned with our own needs, own blessings,
own wants. However, Jesus is telling us, first the kingdom! Later in the
chapter, Jesus confirms this by saying “Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Another
important point we should note is that the kingdom is not just found in the
four walls of the church, but also in the marketplace. In recent years, God has
raised up Christian marketplace leaders like Ed Silvosio, and the Full Gospel
Businessmen and B&P ministries around the world who bring the gospel of
Jesus Christ to the marketplace, offices, restaurants, even discos and coffee
shops. God is God of the cities, and the God of business too, and His heart is
for the masses therein.
Secondly,
after the priority of God’s kingdom is the priority of God’s will! His ways are
higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts. So what is the wisdom
of our will compared to His? He knows what is best for us. So why do we not let
Him lead us? He holds all future in His hands when we do not even know when our
next hair will drop from our heads. “What is Your will, O God?” should be a
regular question in our prayer lives.
In
heaven, God’s will is executed perfectly. All His angels are perfectly obedient
to Him. However, on earth, man, whom God has given free will, has the choice to
follow God or follow his own sinful desires. In the end, man will reap what he
sows, but we who have found this wisdom should know and submit ourselves to
God’s will, entrusting Him totally with our lives as our Lord and Master.
Application:
Ask
God to show you the kingdom in your heart. Ask the Lord for a fresh perspective
on the importance of His kingdom, and a strong desire to serve Him and extend
His kingdom whatever ways we can. Pause and remember when was the last time you
asked the Lord “What is Your will O Lord?” Inculcate this practice on a daily
basis, in moments of solitude, even in moments of waiting – traffic jam, bus
stop, train station. Ask the Lord in your heart “What is Your will, Lord?”
Prayer:
Bless
You, Father in Heaven, for the glory of Your name and power! Give me a kingdom
heart O Lord, that seeks to love and save the lost. Open my eyes to see how I
may help extend Your kingdom. Give me wisdom to know how I can act to draw
others into Your perfect kingdom. Help me dear Lord! What is Your will O Lord?
Even as I seek You, reveal Your will to me, for my life, for the life of my
family. Lead me Lord to live with You, guided by Your Holy Spirit, according to
Your will. Let me learn to live like Lord Jesus did, who did nothing by
Himself, but only what He saw You doing! Blessed be Your holy name O Lord. In
Jesus name, Amen.
God's kingdom comes when God's will is done on earth. Jesus has come as the new king, and reveals what God's will is; he also practices what he preaches; the kingdom has begun. The Lord's Prayer in Mt. 6, is right in the middle of Mt. 5-7, which contains Jesus' teaching about what God's will is (as well as later sections in Matthew). Those who become faithful disciples of the Christ/Lord (king)--through the power of his Spirit--are his kingdom.
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