God’s kingdom is everywhere in the Bible, but it can be a difficult concept to nail down. God’s kingdom is also the topic of discussion in the 2nd Petition of the Lord’s Prayer.
The concept of a kingdom isn’t difficult. We might not call it a kingdom, but the city of Winston Salem is easily nailed down to the inch by publicly available maps. As are the kingdoms of North Carolina and The United States of America. These kingdoms have laws and boundaries. There is order and protection. The earthly kingdoms we find ourselves in are tremendous blessings for God’s people. Not all of them offer the amazing freedoms that ours offers, but God protects us through the police and armed forces.
God’s kingdom is made up of hearts that believe his promises. There aren’t any physical blessings imparted through God’s kingdom – not yet anyway. When the world ends, God’s kingdom will be all that is left and the spiritual reality will be the only reality.
In the 2nd Petition of the Lord’s Prayer we ask that God’s kingdom would come. The Christian might wonder why – “I’m already in God’s kingdom!” This is true. The answer is that we ask for God’s kingdom to come so that it may come to others, as it has come to us, and that it might come to us more fully. This is a great petition to remember as we begin worship or Bible study. Thinking about talking your neighbor about God or inviting him to a church event? Ask that God’s kingdom might come.
God has promised that his Spirit always goes with his word. We don’t pray this petition as if God might forget. We pray this as a reminder to ourselves that when God does grant the increase of his kingdom it is not our doing but his.
Want to hear more? Check out this week’s Bible study on the 2nd Petition of the Lord’s Prayer.
Please click HERE for the Bible class slides.