DAY 20 – Your Kingdom Come. Your Will Be Done. | 21-Day Devotional on Jesus’ Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount
Your Kingdom Come. Your Will Be Done.
For these final two days of our 21-day devotional, we're going to look at a couple of statements from the “Disciple’s prayer,” that we mistakenly call the “Lord’s prayer.” This was the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray.
Today, we will consider Matthew 6:10, Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
In our final lesson, we will consider Matthew 6:11: Give us this day our daily bread.
Throughout His time on the earth it was evident that the Kingdom of God was central to the message of Jesus.
Jesus said, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” (Luke 4:43)
To be in the Kingdom is to obey the will of God. The Kingdom is in fact the most personal thing in the world. The Kingdom demands the submission of my will, my heart, my life. It is only when each one of us makes his personal decision and submission that the Kingdom comes. (Barclay)
Given this understanding, it certainly makes sense that part of our daily prayer would be for God to make his kingdom present and active among Christ followers. We live within systems of our society, such as our economic systems, political systems, and educational systems. We are also citizens of God's kingdom which affords advantages that are not available to civil kingdoms. This would include righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17-18).
What does this mean? “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Contrary to the false ideas and idolatry of Christian nationalism, that seeks to integrate their views of the Bible into every aspect of government and society, Kingdom living is mostly a matter of our devotion to God and behavior toward others. People who try to insert the Bible into civil laws and culture neglect the reality that unsaved people cannot obey the Scriptures––something only possible by the help of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:17) It seems that some people wish to impose a Christian form of Muslim sharia law. God’s kingdom is not of this world, though we are salt and light to the world.
I suggest that God’s will being done “on earth” must first happen in “earthen vessels”–– you and me. There are those who believe that God’s will being done on earth is essentially advocating a Christian “take over” of systems of this world.
The truth is this: Everything in this present order will be destroyed, not preserved and presented to Jesus when He returns:
“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:10-13)
Jesus did not advocate a “take over.” He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom which is God’s love, righteousness, joy, Christ-like character, and good works infused in our lives and lifestyle.
I believe this is the more biblical understanding of “Your Kingdom Come. Your Will Be Done.”
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
1. How is kingdom living different than a desire to “take over” systems of this world?
2. What does doing God’s will “on earth” look like to you?
ACTION ITEMS BASED ON TODAY'S LESSON:
