The disciples once asked Jesus how they should pray; this was his answer.
"This, then, is how you should pray:
"'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one." Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)
I occurred to me that from the onset of the prayer we are to acknowledge God's kingdom and God's will over everything else.
Take a moment and let that sink in.
Your will, God, Your kingdom.
We could assume his will for our lives is a life of ease and happiness, right?
But later on we see Jesus not teaching that prayer, but praying this prayer instead,
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
Matt 26:39 (NIV)
Jesus acknowledged the will of God for him was the cross, because he also knew the kingdom was not of this world. Shortly after this prayer, Jesus was arrested and stood before Pilate who asked him about his identity.
Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place." John 18:36 (NIV)
Are we able to pray that same prayer today? Are we able to see that the kingdom of God is not of this world any more than we should be of this world?
