I was sitting and thinking about the prayer "Our Father" the other day and what it means to me. The first few sentences say so much, and yet I still struggle so hard to put them into practice.
Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done.
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done.
On earth as it is in Heaven.
What so many don't realize is, that it's here. God's kingdom is alive and at work whether we want to be a part of it or not. The challenge is, "How do we recognize it"? For me, it became so painfully obvious for what seems like the hundredth time.
If you've been following this blog, or if you're a friend of mine, you know that our house is up for sale. We have been on the market now for about three months. There has been no action. I have struggled with God's timing in all of this and found myself doubting Him quite often. I know that we are to be patient and trust His plans for us but that's hard. Giving up control is hard. So, like the human that I am, I try to control things. I know God is almighty. His knowledge is infinite. So how does a child act when he wants something from his father? He tries to win his favor. He does things that makes he father happy and proud of him in order to get something from him. I found myself doing random acts of kindness, getting into the Word, praying and worshiping more than I normally do....all things that I should be doing anyway. But this time I caught myself doing them to gain favor. I have listened to my own prayers and I have heard myself trying to bargain with Him. And to top it off, I have been bragging to everyone that I know that I am doing this so God will sell my house quicker.
That's not really glorifying God, it's putting Him in a box. It's using Him to get what I want. It's making His kingdom work for my kingdom. All of a sudden I have a kingdom. One without knights or dragons or even a king. Just this big empty castle that I am trying to sell. My kingdom?
So where do I go from here? How do I dethrone myself and give all authority and honor to the One true King? I think I just keep doing what I am doing, but without the ulterior motives. I will keep serving selflessly. I will stay in the Word. I will praise and worship Him, for He is worthy. I will keep growing and struggling and failing. For it's in that failure that I truly learn something about myself. I have to let His will be done through the work of His kingdom that He has placed on earth. I have to realize that we are not the only way to Jesus, and sometimes the best thing to do is just get out of His way.
So, what kingdoms have you built up? How have you placed God in a box? How do you make Him work for you instead of through you?
What this world needs is not to have so many kingdoms in place. It just needs to let our Father be in control and let His kingdom reign.
If you've been following this blog, or if you're a friend of mine, you know that our house is up for sale. We have been on the market now for about three months. There has been no action. I have struggled with God's timing in all of this and found myself doubting Him quite often. I know that we are to be patient and trust His plans for us but that's hard. Giving up control is hard. So, like the human that I am, I try to control things. I know God is almighty. His knowledge is infinite. So how does a child act when he wants something from his father? He tries to win his favor. He does things that makes he father happy and proud of him in order to get something from him. I found myself doing random acts of kindness, getting into the Word, praying and worshiping more than I normally do....all things that I should be doing anyway. But this time I caught myself doing them to gain favor. I have listened to my own prayers and I have heard myself trying to bargain with Him. And to top it off, I have been bragging to everyone that I know that I am doing this so God will sell my house quicker.
That's not really glorifying God, it's putting Him in a box. It's using Him to get what I want. It's making His kingdom work for my kingdom. All of a sudden I have a kingdom. One without knights or dragons or even a king. Just this big empty castle that I am trying to sell. My kingdom?
So where do I go from here? How do I dethrone myself and give all authority and honor to the One true King? I think I just keep doing what I am doing, but without the ulterior motives. I will keep serving selflessly. I will stay in the Word. I will praise and worship Him, for He is worthy. I will keep growing and struggling and failing. For it's in that failure that I truly learn something about myself. I have to let His will be done through the work of His kingdom that He has placed on earth. I have to realize that we are not the only way to Jesus, and sometimes the best thing to do is just get out of His way.
So, what kingdoms have you built up? How have you placed God in a box? How do you make Him work for you instead of through you?
What this world needs is not to have so many kingdoms in place. It just needs to let our Father be in control and let His kingdom reign.
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