Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 (ESV)
What do you think God’s kingdom looks like? We pray this prayer but rarely do we stop and ponder what it would look like for God’s kingdom to be here on earth.
I imagine if God’s kingdom were here on earth “as it is in heaven”, there would be certain things that were obvious. For starters, there would be beauty everywhere. Nature would explode and we would be mesmerized by it. That happens on earth in a beautiful sunset or majestic mountains. There is nature that takes our breath away.
There are other things that I think are part of God’s kingdom that maybe we don’t see all the time.
Worship - we will always be worshiping in Heaven.
Love - there will be lots and lots of love. We will be taking care of each other, sharing, caring, and offering kindness.
Laughter and happiness - the Bible tells us there will be no more tears. I’m looking forward to that!
Productivity - I do think we will have things to do whether it be work or pleasure, we won’t be idle.
So, if we pray “Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven,” what’s stopping it? If we truly want heaven on earth, why aren’t we seeing it?
One thought that popped into my mind is that there are too many kingdoms and too many rulers trying to reign. If I want God’s kingdom to be here, right now, in my heart, then I have to move my kingdom out of the way. If I’m being honest, the agenda for my kingdom is in conflict with God’s kingdom. They cannot both exist together.
There can be only one ruler. There can be only one kingdom. Which one will you give allegiance to today?