We are territorial people. We don’t like it when someone throws trash into our yard, parks where our car belongs, sits at our desk, or fills our space without an invitation
My sister and I shared a room growing up. You can’t imagine how many imaginary lines we drew to separate our space. And pity the sister who crossed the boundary. There was my drawer and hers, my bookshelf and hers.
It was a formula for separation, not unity.
When we pray your kingdom come, do we really mean it?
Or do we want to tell God where we draw the line?
The kingdom of God isn’t a place where we can draw such lines. It is an all or nothing invitation. We can’t reserve space for our preferences. You either hear that as a restricting statement or a freeing one. It restricts when you fear that what God wants from you is more than you want to give. It frees when you understand that nothing in God’s rule keeps you from becoming all God always intended you could be.
Praying God’s kingdom come is not an out-there prayer. We can’t ask God to remove injustice and inequality in the greater world unless we allow God to remove it in our heart.
This is a dangerous prayer. It reorients your whole perspective. To pray God’s kingdom come is a prayer of surrender in every part of your life: family, work, service, leisure, time, money.
Remember, there is no kingdom without a king. If you believe everything you said in your Easter review about Christ made King through His resurrection, you have no choice but to make sure He is King in what you call life. All of it.
The kingdom God wants to bring to your life isn’t a dictatorship. You choose citizenship in it. God will bring His kingdom to anyone who asks for it. It is a prayer God always answers with YES.
What do you receive in return for what you give up? All of God’s protection. All of God’s resources. All of God’s wisdom. All of God and Who He is. Hold on to the cookies in your small jar if you want, but there is a bigger oven baking better things for you.
This week, ask God to search your heart for kingdom breeches. Pray that God will bring His kingdom to every place your will squeezes God’s out. God wants to fly His banner of full possession over your heart, and the banner He flies is love.
