The most famous Christian prayer—perhaps the most famous prayer ever given—is the one spoken by Jesus Christ during the famous discourse we call the ‘Sermon on the Mount’.
Jesus gave this as a model prayer—Luke 11 indicates that it was given as guidance since one of the disciples had asked Him to teach them how to pray. Although not meant to be spoken endlessly by rote, on its own it is a powerful set of statements.
As a framework or pattern, it indicates what God thinks is most important and relevant for our contact with Him. And, interestingly, after acknowledging God’s very existence, identity, and holiness, the first topic is about God’s future government—”Thy Kingdom come”.
Now the “Kingdom” is all too often spiritualised and generalised away. And certainly, when Christ was on earth, though He represented this Kingdom, He explained “My Kingdom is not of this world, otherwise my servants would fight” (John 18:36)—i.e. to overthrow the secular government and introduce God’s good rule.
Instead, at the end of Jesus’ ministry, He ended up on the cross. Then after His resurrection, His disciples were told to preach and patiently wait. And today, those of us who follow in His footsteps, the Kingdom is here only in our example—in our conduct as we submit to the good rule of God in our lives.
This is not a yellow brick road, but it is a path of purpose and hope!
The visible and tangible Kingdom of God will rather be instituted only when Jesus returns, as He promised He would. Then He and His forces will put down all opposition, and rescue humanity from its own incompetence and destructiveness and liberate it from the control of Satan the Devil—the present god of this world.
Then finally, God’s Kingdom, His government will rule from His throne in Jerusalem.
For those of us who are called at this time to understand God’s purpose—to accept His example as our way of life, have our sins forgiven and forgotten through His sacrifice, and receive His Spirit to help us overcome our failings—we are to follow a path of decency, self-control, but one of great fulfilment. Though with trials and tests, nevertheless.
This is not a yellow brick road, but it is a path of purpose and hope!
In a happier world tomorrow without today’s problems, the same productive and fulfilling way of life will be encouraged universally. But this time in an age of joy rather than sorrow, peace rather than conflict, happiness rather than sadness, health rather than sickness—hope rather than despair.
That will be the Kingdom come. That is our calling and our future.
Cherie Fox - December 18, 2021
Roll on the Kingdom!