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MATTHEW 6:10 “THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE, IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.” (KJV, NASV, RSV)
“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (NKJV, NIV, NASB)
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” (ASV)
“We ask that your kingdom will come now. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven.” (TLB)
It is probably time again in our “memorizing quest” to return to one of our main techniques. As hard as it may be to memorize Scriptures, it is often very helpful to memorize ones that we already have “hidden in our hearts.” The Lord’s prayer is a good example of that.
We started our book with very familiar verses…Genesis 1:1, John 3:16, Psalm 23:1. We memorized short verses…John 11:35, 1 Thess 5:16. The Lord’s prayer is a good example of words many Christians already have memorized. That isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it can be a real motivator when you realize that having the Lord’s prayer in your heart, you already have five verses memorized.
Take a look at the complete “model” prayer here quoted from the most familiar passage, Matthew 6:9-13:
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4)
In Chapter 7, Book 1 of Hide the Word, we learned/memorized/remembered Matthew 6:9, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” In Chapter 39, Book 2 we memorized Matthew 6:11, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Now, let’s add the other three verses from this prayer to our memory verse list.
Just think, with all five of these verses memorized you have 5% toward the goal already. Again, this isn’t cheating. It is recognition of the fact that the task we may think is so difficult, we have actually been working on our whole lives. That is a good thing!
“Thy kingdom come.” Jesus spoke many times about the kingdom of heaven. In Matthew 4:17 He began His preaching with, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” He told us in Matthew 6:33 to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” In Matt 12:28 He told them “...the kingdom of God has come upon you.” He spent most of His ministry describing what kingdom of heaven is like…literally hundreds of times. Little wonder then that He would instruct his disciples (and us) to recognize and pray that God’s kingdom would come. Because of Jesus, the Father’s Kingdom was (and is still) right here among us!
Of course, the greater difficulty was helping us recognize that it was here. He wanted us to pray for the Father’s will to be done…right here, just like it was done in heaven. Our great difficulty however, is that we tend to think that our will is more important than the Lord’s. Before we can become even a part of that kingdom, then, we must recognize that the kingdom is here…it is now.
As many times as Jesus talked about the kingdom of heaven in his short three years of ministry (I counted over 150 times in a quick search of the Gospels alone), I find it amazing how few understood Him as King of that kingdom. It was the thief on the cross, not His own disciples, who just prior to dying said to Him, “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” The thief recognized the kingdom that all those who shouted “Crucify Him” did not.
Next, regarding that kingdom, it is extremely important that we accept the kingdom. Jesus told his disciples that unless we are “converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 18:3) He quickly followed that up with, “whoever humbles himself as a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Our problems with kingdoms is we want to be the king. In a real kingdom, there is only one king…all the subjects are ruled by that king. We must accept Jesus’ rule in our lives if we are hoping to enter the kingdom. That is the Father’s will…and Jesus wanted to teach us that our job is to accept His rule…not only in heaven, but here on earth as well.
We must recognize His kingdom. We must accept His kingdom. Third, as royal subjects of the King, we must bow down and worship Him as King of Kings!
The proper rule of order if one comes into the presence of the king of England is to bow when you enter his presence. We do not bow nearly often enough (if ever) when we enter the presence of the King of Kings. If He is truly King…as the Bible says He is…as we submit to Him when we come to Him for salvation…as we must learn to do as His true disciples…then bowing to Him and worshipping and praising Him needs to become a true and sincere action in our lives every day.
You see, we need to make Jesus’ kingdom in our heart, not just in heaven. Does He rule every aspect of your life like a King? Is He in control of our moods, our temper, our tongue? Does His will come before and above our selfish will that seeks to satisfy all our needs with worthless stuff that won’t last forever. As King, He promises to add to us all the things we need (Matt 6:33). How quickly we turn away and seek the latest entertainment, the newest toys or other things that promise to bring us happiness. Turn away from the world and focus on Jesus, saints!
If we approach Jesus this way, it follows that everything we see about us will reveal that His kingdom HAS come, and His will is always going to be done, here on earth, just like it is in heaven. Are you living according to His will? Are these words the Lord taught us to pray merely rote, often repeated words, without real meaning? Or are we truly praying for and doing all we can to make His will always done, in our lives, in our communities, in all our actions…here on earth just like it is in heaven?
Questions to ponder: How do you imagine the Lord’s will being done in heaven? Is it possible for us to examine all our decisions in light of how it will affect the kingdom, let alone how it will affect our walk with the Lord? What is the connection between God’s “will” and our “won’t?” The Bible tells us that the Lord is not willing that anyone should perish. Have you given your life to Him completely to make sure this is true in your life? How many have you helped Him find salvation, so that they would not perish?
Other Scriptures to consider: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification…” 1 Thess 5:18 “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God.” 1 Peter 2:15 “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men…” 1 John 2:1 “…he who does the will of God abides forever.” Romans 12:2 “…you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Mark 3:35 “Whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”
 
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