Thy Kingdom Come!

Jesus taught us to pray for His coming kingdom. Among many other things, this prayer can remind us that His kingdom, while it is here in our hearts, is not here on this earth in all of its fulness, nor is it in our hearts the way it ought to be. Thinking of the coming kingdom reminds us also of our Saviour's instruction to store up our treasures in Heaven, and not on earth. The point is that to depart and be with Christ is far better than where we are now, no matter how closely we are able to walk with Him here. We have "an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled and that fadeth not away," reserved in Heaven for us. The desire for Christ's coming kingdom also speaks of our future reward with Him, beholding His glory.

As we look for His coming, we need to see that we are holding on to this world, and loving it, when we should be letting go of everything temporal and reaching for that which is eternal, instead. It seems to me that I am like the child at the mall whose fingers have to be pried off of the handles of the plastic pony, who is carried out, screaming for just one more ride, tearfully looking back, as if by looking he could hold on to that which is quickly vanishing from view. When I die, will it be like that, a dragging away with a desperate last cry at being separated from that which I love too much? And if it is so, where can I hope to end up, if my treasures are indeed here on earth in such great measure? But will not the gracious Lord instead grant me the heart of a child who, longing for His presence, and desiring to behold His beauty, cannot find any place of comfort in this world? Will He not give me a heart that has me looking upward, waiting for His coming with great joy and anticipation, so that might find death a welcome thing, that brings me at once to the One Who is my joy, my life and my all? Then, I will not be as Lot's wife, looking back with desire at this perishing Sodom, but looking to Jesus, with my arms open wide to embrace Him, the Lover of my soul, at Whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore. I would be as the child who is only too glad to leave the mall, because he is not impressed with its vain show. Instead, he looks eagerly toward home, where he belongs, and he just can't wait to get there. Lord, give me such a heart; make me such a child.