The Lord's Prayer (5)

"Your kingdom come."
Matthew 6:10

In the kingdom of self, you rule. By the way, how are things going in your kingdom these days? Not too well? That's because the wrong person's in charge! In the Kingdom of God, Christ rules. His Word settles all issues. No, "Yes, buts." When Jesus taught us to pray "Your kingdom come. Your will be done," He was teaching us:
His priorities. The fastest route to success in any job is to find out what the boss wants, and get it done with excellence. Bosses notice people like that. Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God [His agenda, His priorities]" (Matthew 6:33).
The rules are different in God's kingdom:
(1) The way up, is down. "Humble yourselves… that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:6). Note the words, "due time." Your blessing is already scheduled on God's calendar. Just keep your head down.
(2) By forgiving others you free yourself. At the point of forgiveness, all the energy lost to self-pity and resentment is reclaimed and redirected - and you get your peace back. What a deal!
One of the last songs Elvis ever sang was, "I Did It My Way." In the Kingdom of God we do it His way. Each time God's will is done, a little more of His Kingdom comes. "But why do we have to pray, 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven?'" Because we can't make it happen! The needed energy must come from another source. So, our prayers are more than just an invitation for God to show up - they're the conduit through which His Kingdom power flows into our circumstances.