Meditating the Word of God – 30th October
Today’s verse is from the Gospel of Matthew 6:10. The passage is given from the three versions of the Bible.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (version NIV)
Manifest your kingdom realm, and cause your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just as it is in heaven. (version TPT)
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (version KJV)
May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. (version NLT)
This is the 1st part of the prayer Jesus taught His disciples. After addressing God the Lord’s prayer begins, “Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed by His name.”, then comes this portion.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
We pray for God’s Kingdom realm to come here on earth. Heaven is the Kingdom of God. In Heaven, righteousness, peace and joy prevails.
Nearly all Christians are aware of the Lord’s prayer, but many consider this to be focused on daily bread and forgiveness. While it first states about bringing Heaven to Earth and God’s will to reign on Earth.
Unfortunately, many Christians don’t expect to experience heaven during their lifetime, considering it only as an experience after death. Since the Lord’s prayer is so familiar, people hardly know what it means. While they know the whole sequence by heart, they don’t know it’s rich, resplendent significance !
Heaven on Earth can happen in many ways. God can supernaturally intervene and provide manna and quails to hungry people, a fix of wisdom for students who are scared and anxious about an exam, supernatural healing for critically ill people. We know that God intervenes when a man, dependent on God, steps in faith. For the Israelites it was Moses. The Apostle Paul was for the Gentiles. Many great men of God, Christians without title, operate these days as channels of God’s will, ringing Heaven on Earth. They operate in signs, wonders and miracles, bringing glory and honour to God.
Miracles follow a step in faith. God delights when his children take the first step in faith.
We can decide to be channels of God’s goodness to the widow, the poor, the broken-hearted and the orphans. To start with we don’t need to go far to bring Heaven on Earth. Instead of supernatural signs, wonders and miracles, we can operate in the natural, but yet bring the Heaven on Earth experience.
We can be intentionally better with our colleagues at the office, especially those who do not have any authority or say over us. Even to our friends and family members, near and dear ones who are less fortunate than us. We have a nature in us where we want to be associated with successful and upwardly mobile people. The Bible says it’s important to invite people for supper who may not be able to invite us in return. Giving money and helping people who have no means of returning it.
When the Holy Spirit shows us people, we can be good towards them. We can be God’s channels of goodness in many ways. A sincere word of praise. A few minutes of focused conversation with the mobile phone kept out of the way. A generous tip, a word of prayer, sincere encouragement. Do what can be done now and desire to do more. In all these matters, the aim should be to a channel of God’s love. Seek not to complete a day without multiple acts of God’s goodness.
When we do so, we are literally being Heaven’s ambassadors on Earth. We can bring God’s will into the lives of people in our neighbourhood. When we do so in what can be done naturally, God may nudge us into the Supernatural realm of signs, wonders, healing and miracles. Here is a brief prayer.
Make me your chosen vessel O Lord Jesus, to bring your Kingdom here into our neighbourhoods and cities, and Your will into the lives of people whom we are connected with.
