I don’t know about you, but often when I pray the Lord’s Prayer, I say the line “Thy Kingdom come” emphatically and with sincere devotion – but all the while the meaning of it, in my heart, remains somewhat vague. We all want God’s Kingdom to come – but what exactly does that mean? How do we move from a spiritual-sounding concept to concrete reality?

Taking Hold of Theocracy

The world is full of different attempts at government and governance, some of which evidently work better than others, but none of which are perfect (hence the multitudes of political theories critiquing that which already exists and suggesting alternatives). But God’s ideal form of government has been laid out for thousands of years in Scripture: it is a theocracy, a Kingdom where He is the one and only King, ruling in majesty and power, yet also in humility and love.

It is a Kingdom where we, as His subjects, are raised up from the ashes of sin and death to be His sons and daughters, being changed into His likeness and the likeness of His Son, Jesus Messiah, who is our perfect example, and through whom all this has been made possible.

It is this Kingdom that we must somehow grasp in this world, in the practical details of our lives.

Extension of God’s Rule

When we pray “Thy Kingdom come”, we are asking God to extend His rule and reign further and further over every part of our lives, including all those parts we hold back and consider to be ‘ours’, or which we hide out of shame. We are asking that every single part of ourselves comes under His authority and is subjected to His rule – surrendering our rights to dictate the outcome, which might be building up, tearing down, refining or simple change.

Ultimately, we are asking that every part of us comes to exist for a new purpose: the praise of His glory.

We are also asking God to extend this glorious Kingship in the lives of those around us, in the Church, in our nation and in the world…and by extension, we are agreeing to be part of this process, for Jesus Himself has chosen to make us His hands and feet in this world.

The Narrow Path

This journey for which we are praying leads us on a difficult, narrow path. The ‘now’ of God’s Kingdom rule extending into our lives stands in tension with the ‘not yet’ of the full Kingdom to come (where we will live as perfect subjects of our perfect King, and when the entire world will bow before Him) and also in tension with the darkness, evil and rebellion visible in the world, out of which we are being drawn, and which is governed temporarily by “the powers of this world’s darkness” (Eph 6:12).

We exist in the midst of these tensions, as living ‘works in progress’, which at times can be an immensely frustrating and disappointing experience. But God has planned it this way for great purpose.

If we were transformed from sin to glory in one fell swoop, how could we testify to His faithfulness and His willingness to journey with us through thick and thin? How could we witness to His patience and His lovingkindness - to His grace? How could we be His children – when the fundamental meaning of childhood is a journey: from youth to maturity, from naivete to wisdom, from weakness to stature and strength? And crucially, what would keep us humble if all our weaknesses were suddenly gone?

From Glory to Glory

God, in all His sovereign wisdom, has ordained this journey “from glory to glory” (2 Cor 3:18, KJV) – for our learning and blessing, yes, but also as part of His plan to reach the rest of the world.

We are to be living, walking, talking examples of redemption-in-progress, who know that their future is secure and who are faithfully seeking to take hold of that for which they were called (Phil 3:12-14).

The whole point of the ‘now but not yet’ aspect of the Kingdom is that others may see the treasure of the Lord shining out through imperfect jars of clay – that God Himself might get more praise. It is vital that others see normal human beings – people just like them – on that road of being transformed and filled with the things of Heaven, for that is the road God desires them to walk also.

Oaks of Righteousness

Unlike our ‘I want it now’ culture, God is a God of long-term investments (even though He is also God of instant miracles!). There is a reason why He chooses to talk of His children in terms of trees like the oak and cedar – trees which take the span of a human lifetime to reach maturity, but which then last in strength and splendour for centuries.

So, in praying “Thy Kingdom come”, we are effectively saying “Lord, take me further on the journey. Thank you for what you’ve done – but don’t leave me here. Finish what you’ve started – and use me as part of your unfolding plans to redeem others”. Whilst we are praying for the return of Jesus Messiah, when we will all be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor 15:52), we are also declaring our agreement to walk the long and narrow road in this life, hand in hand with the Father. In this way, "Thy Kingdom come" should be more than just a phrase we pray fervently and with faith - it should be a devoted lifestyle and an attitude of humble surrender, in a spirit of unwavering hope. That's how it becomes reality.

I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us…we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently. (Rom 8:18, 23-25)

Author: Frances Rabbitts