Your Kingdom | Discipleship Prayer Day 10
As we learn and grow in Christ the right and responsibilities of this citizenship – love and mercy, justice and truth, and grace and peace, will become increasingly evident in all we do.
Let your kingdom rule in my body, my relationships, and my world.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ― Luke 11:2
When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, the first request is “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The kingdom of God – the jurisdiction, domain, or administration – is found where God’s will is being done, the purpose and mission of God is being carried out, and the name of God is holy, sacred, and honored.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” ― John 3:3 (NIV)
God’s kingdom is not a physical kingdom. There are no geographic borders; no nation in the world is interchangeable with the kingdom of God. The border of this kingdom are found in the heart and souls of those who have been born again. Citizenship in the nation of God comes by faith and is seen only by those who have surrendered themselves to the rule and reign of God in their lives.
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,... ― Colossians 1:13 (NIV)
When John wrote that “whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16b), he was referencing a rescue operation that takes place when a person puts their hope and trust in Christ – a rescue from the domain of darkness and sin to the city of hope, peace, salvation, and new life. In Christ, we are new people with new priorities and new purpose. All of this newness shines on our:
Personal lives: the way we live -- our habits, routines, time, and money;
Relationships: the way we relate with people – family, friends, and the people with whom we engage and interact regularly;
The World: the way in which we engage the people in our world, locally and globally, particularly of different faith, priorities, and ways of living.
Our citizenship in God’s kingdom touches every part of our life. As we learn and grow in Christ the right and responsibilities of this citizenship – love, and mercy, justice and truth, and grace and peace, will become increasingly evident in all we do.
→ If I must err, let it be in the direction of love...