"oh, sir, you don't even know," i replied. for this week was one of those weeks. the kind of week where i cling to the promises of revelation--that Christ will make all things new, and that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. where nothing will be the same as it is right now.
even though the conversation with Leroy quickly went from a deep theological question to a monologue on why the kingdom of God will arrive in 2012, questions like these during hard weeks make me realize how much truth is spoken into my life in the least expected places...this question helped me to articulate my entire week. a week in which i encountered great brokenness--both mine and others--without much sign of redemption in the future. this week i long for the day when the poor and disabled will be exalted rather than discarded and marginalized, where the sick will be made new, where the mentally handicapped will talk with Jesus and where the drug addicts will experience true joy instead of fading highs. and on this day that is set aside to honor the courage of men an women like my grandfather--and rightly so, for they have great courage--we look to the day when peace will reign, and long for the peace to reign on earth right now.
when Jesus taught us to pray, He included in His prayer His longing for His Father's will to be done, and for His Father's Kingdom to come--on earth as it is in heaven. i have been thinking about this prayer often--what would it look like for His Kingdom to come now--on earth as it is in Heaven. is this a prayer for the future, or for the present? if we look at the other things mentioned in this prayer, they are things we want now--our daily bread, to be forgiven of our sins, to be delivered from evil--if the rest of the prayer is for the present, then doesn't it make sense that the beginning is as well? so what would it look like if all of us, as christians, prayed that God would use us to help bring His Kingdom to earth--prayed that in their lives His will would be done, as it is in heaven. do we have the courage to pray that prayer? and what would it look like in your life, home and community.
while we were at orientation, the song that we sang most often was called "may your kingdom come". i'm going to end with these lyrics that i have been praying all week--and i invite you to pray them with me. but be forewarned--this is not an easy prayer, and it may come with great cost. for when we pray for His Kingdom to come, we lose our own desires and are bound up in His. and life can never be the same.
for the hungry, we cry out for Your mercy
for the hurting, we cry out for Your mercy
come, Jesus, come
may Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven
come, Lord, come
for the warring, we cry out for Your mercy
for the dying, we cry out for Your mercy
come, Jesus, come
for the hurting, we cry out for Your mercy
come, Jesus, come
may Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven
come, Lord, come
for the warring, we cry out for Your mercy
for the dying, we cry out for Your mercy
come, Jesus, come
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