For Thine is the Kingdom

We pray this not because God needs to know this, but we need to be reminded of this reality. Whether we acknowledge this or not, it doesn’t change one tiny thing about who God is. God is already God. God already created everything. God already knows all things belong to him.

But when we come to grasp this reality, we are changed. This changes our puny lives from mere existence for a few decades here on earth to being God’s children who get to participate in God’s plan to restore and redeem God’s creation for all of eternity.

It’s so easy to forget. We don’t even have to try to forget. We just forget even without trying. And when we forget, we make life all about us. That’s our autopilot: what we want, what we think, what we feel, what we desire…

When we pray, “For Thine is the Kingdom,” we are reminding ourselves that life is all about God.

Most of the people living on planet earth have no clue about this reality. And the thing is, every soul who has ever taken a breath here on planet earth will come to realize the truth of this reality whether they acknowledge it or not. The only hope that our world has is for those who know this truth to live this truth out in such a way that they too come to grips with this reality.

When we watch the impeachment trial taking place in DC, as we watch the forecast of snow for this weekend, as we watch the roller coaster of the stock market, it’s so stinking easy to forget that “Thine is the kingdom.” It’s so easy to forget that God is in control. That history is not mere chance. That all of time and all of history is moving toward one moment in his-story when all living creatures will bend their knee before the Creator of all things.

We take ourselves and our lives much too seriously when we confuse ourselves to think that life is about us. That we get to participate and be a part of God’s kingdom plan is a privilege and an honor.

“Thine is the kingdom.”

God, thank you for this daily reminder. We need a daily re-orientation to kingdom reality. We need a daily recalibration of our bearing.

“Thine is the kingdom.”