In high school I remember reading Lord of the Flies. To be honest, I can’t recall much about the book but I do remember something about a pig on a stick. Why? I don’t know. It’s just a boy’s teenage mind I guess.
I do remember the plot being sort of a fight for survival by several kids on an island. The struggle of the pecking order. Scavenging for food. Sending smoke signals with fire. Scary beasts and ensuing fear.
I believe one of our greatest struggles in life is the bout of autonomy and interdependence; the belief that we can survive on our own and the intrinsic notion that we actually do need the presence of others in our lives.
Books like Lord of the Flies and War of the Worlds that I was asked to read as a teenager are now aiding me in connecting the dots between desire and reality. My desire to be in control and assume all authority and the reality that I’m more like a peasant than a king. My desire to be boldly courageous against the uncomfortable nature of the unknown and the ensuing fear that often swallows all my bravery when surrounded by new places.
God knows me so well. He knows I’m weak. Feeble. Needy. Dependent. But He also knows that I’m going to fight. Struggle. Wrestle. Work to get my way. Make every attempt to build my own little kingdom in my own little cul-de-sac of earthly attire.
Jesus knew the struggle for earthly shortsighted autonomy would exist. So He told His disciples to pray against it,
“Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as in heaven.”
He said when you pray ask God to expose and integrate all of your earthly toil into the mission and riches of your heavenly home. Honor the king by inviting him into your world. Ask Him to bring His wealth of eternal kingship, authority, and power to surround the limited supply of what you think this word has placed at your disposal.
Our upside down thoughts about the next life are that we will somehow bring earth to heaven. We strive so hard to be noticed by those around us. We build our resumes full of fantastic achievements and accolades; fancy cars, employee of the year titles, adult league sports championships, a robust 401k, a summer lake house, a bazillion trips to Disney.
We even bring religion into this equation of kingdom building. We teach classes, join groups, give money, hold offices, and earn titles in these religious institutions. Just building our little kingdoms here on earth.
Your kingdom come. That phrase; what does it mean? What should I expect? Reading the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s life gives some insight into that statement. On more than one occasion Jesus refers to the kingdom of God being at hand. Being near. Being here.
The expanse of God’s kingdom reaches from heaven to earth because King Jesus traveled here to establish His rule in the hearts of His people. It’s certainly a shift in the mind of all who heed His invitation to come and follow Him. Recognizing the actions and attitudes of His followers are building an edifice of faith that will far outlast any kingdom we could ever build on our own.
Here lies the rub. I’m caught in the middle of wanting to build my own kingdom and enjoying the blessings of the kingdom of God. But they simply cannot co-exist. And it’s this statement that has rocked the core of my being; it’s this thought that has left me in the quandary of who’s claiming the throne of my life. For His kingdom to come, my kingdom must fall.
I want so badly for my kingdom to exist. To claim the throne of all that surrounds my life. For my name to mean something. To be worshipped and adored. To find the peasantry of life’s circumstances bowing at my feet and meeting my every need.
But I want to be a servant of a kingdom that’s so much bigger than this. A chosen son that’s granted permission to sit at the king’s table. An ambassador to this other worldly sovereign state of affairs. And for that to happen I must humble myself and see the evidence of His lordship through a life that is fully surrendered to Him.
Your will be done. This is no easy task. Why? Because I want my will be to be done. And I’m often willing to manipulate the situations and people standing in the way of my will. Trying to control my circumstances. Coercing the people around me. To assure that I get what I want and ultimately what pleases me. What satisfies me.
At my core, I can be pretty selfish. I’m constantly striving for what feels good. Fulfilling my desires. Looking for things that raise my level of comfort. It’s a terrible plan for building a healthy kingdom causing my will to ultimately implode with decimating effects with everyone around me. Left to my own devices I will become a lousy king that turns the gift of this life He’s given me on its head.
On earth as in heaven. What we all desperately need is the fingerprint of the One who’s designed this life for us to be woven into every decision we make in this life. A true King. A wise decision maker. A loving Father. A perfect example. One who’s gone before us. One who is fighting for us. One who knows us. And cares for us. Who promises never to leave us.
His kingdom fights off darkness. His kingdom is full of light. Full of life. Full of truth. His kingdom will withstand every attack. Not even the gates of Hell can prevail against it. His kingdom has no end. And so should our prayer be, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as in heaven.“
Kortney Jones 
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