Lord's Prayer: Thy Kingdom Comeনমুনা

Enter Jesus.

The driving message of the Gospels and the heart of Jesus’ ministry is that in Him, the kingdom of God has come!

Think about it. All of those great promises and hopes in the Old Testament come about in Jesus. He heals people. He drives demons out. He tames creation and turns it from chaos to abundance. He rescues the downtrodden and saves the lowly. He reaches out to the ostracized. He confronts sin and turns people’s hearts. He raises the dead. He dies for the sins of the world, and three days later rises Himself! And soon after, He pours out His Spirit. We come to find He’s God Himself, who was here, dwelling with His people. He demonstrates authority over heaven and earth. And He offers the promise of His reign both to Israel and to everyone!

None of this is to assume that His kingdom is here all the way. Otherwise, why pray for it? When Jesus came, He didn’t heal everyone. All the dead were not raised. God’s promises did not come about in totality. But it was the beginning. And it’s advancing. If the fullness of God’s kingdom is the Day of the Lord, maybe we call this the Dawn of the Lord. God’s kingdom is dawning, and day is soon to follow.

The kingdom is here, and the kingdom is coming. Wrapped up into the wonder, mystery, and excitement of it, people who see what Jesus is doing pray, “Thy kingdom come!” It’s a prayer of victory. It’s a prayer of hope! God is here! God is coming! God is on the move. Bring your hope and joy to everyone!

Consider this today…

The kingdom of God is meant to be experienced. Consider one of these three questions: What’s your favorite story about Jesus? Where are you experiencing His kingdom? Where do you want to experience His kingdom more fully? Tell God, and pray, “Thy kingdom come.”