Matthew 6:9-10
Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
We need to hear Jesus’ teaching on prayer in the context of a greater issue than prayer itself. Jesus’ sermon on the mount describes first of all who is truly blessed (the meek, the poor in spirit, the peacemaker…), tells us that we followers of Jesus are lights on the hill and salt of the earth, then turns to how we exhibit our faith. In reality Jesus is applying the true implications of our faith to life itself.
There is no doubt that those who believe in God and follow Jesus will pray. There is no doubt that Jesus’ people will give. Jesus doesn’t say, “If you pray…” or “If you give…” He says, “when” we do these things there is a certain manner in which we are to do them. We do them for God, not for show. We do them because God is watching, not so we can gain notoriety.
So when it comes to the petition, “Your kingdom come,” we do well to acknowledge that our prayers ought never to be shaped so that we feather our own nest. Our prayers must not be only about our needs, desires, wants, and longings; although we can always express these to God.
Jesus’ model prayer points us to things beyond our immediate desires. He points us to our greatest need – a balanced understanding of the reality of our proper place in the realm of God’s reign. The best part of that is that God does not wish to rule as a divine despot, nor even a benign celestial dictator. God has lavish love for us all, and would have us live in the center of his love and good will.
When we pray, “Your kingdom come…” we are praying that God’s reign in people’s hearts will more and more be one of grace, mercy and love. We are saying, let more and more people “do justice, and to love kindness, and walk humbly with you, O God” (cf. Micah 6:8). And, we are saying, “Let that begin with me.” We seek to establish his kingdom, not our own; for his is the kingdom, power, and glory – now and forever.
Matthew 6:1-15
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
David Bahn - Reflections 
Leave a comment