A Simple Prayer

Your kingdom come,

your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10

Those words are familiar to most Christians. In some denominations they are prayed so often that for some people, for most people at some point, it's just words.

Think for a moment about those words. “Your kingdom come.” If you've read the Bible you know that the condition of our world today is pretty far away from God's kingdom. What words come to mind when you think of heaven?

For me it's words like beauty, peace, joy, love, warmth, comfort, caring, grace and mercy. Those things are pretty hard to find in the news today. I avoid the news as much as possible. The words that come to me when I think of the current state of the world, the “news” are words like selfishness, greed, darkness, fear, hatred, pride, disaster, anger, and death.

Every now and then, however, I see glimpses of God's kingdom. Thankfully I'm currently attending a church where, for the most part, I see God's people acting like God's people. I see caring, mercy, and warmth. I would hope so, it's church. I love bumping up against God's love when I'm in the community. When I see someone go out of their way for a person they don't know. When I catch a snippet of conversation and I hear words that speak of God's love.

“Your kingdom come” we pray and we hope it will be sooner rather than later because the world perspective is getting farther and farther away from what God intended.

The next words say, “Your will be done.” Ah, there it is. This could be why we are moving with breakneck speed away from mercy, love, peace and forbearance and headlong into judgment, hatred, anger and destruction. It's easy to say, “Your will be done.” It's harder to mean it.

“Your will be done.” As long as I can still roll my eyes at that jerk across the street. “Your will be done” unless it means I have to be nice to those people who look different or have different beliefs. “Your will be done” unless that means I have to put You first, give You my first-fruits, promote Your way instead of my own. “Your will” is all fine and dandy until it infringes on mine.

I tease my Bible study ladies all the time because they're terrified to pray out loud. It seems to them to be this huge challenge. If they look at this verse they will find the perfect prayer. “Your will be done.” If more of us prayed that more often and meant it, the world would be a different place, a better place. His will is perfect, right and best. Try it pray the simplest, most complete prayer there is, “Your will be done.”