The Lord's Prayer - Ep 6

2026.07.02 Lord's Prayer Thursday

Today, and every Thursday during this summer, we will be doing a modified Lectio Divina exercise. Lectio Divina, which means sacred reading, is an ancient spiritual practice that trains us to hear God's voice through scripture. This summer, we soak in the Lord's Prayer, and today we set our thoughts on the phrase your kingdom come, your will be done.

We will read through the Lord's Prayer twice, and we'll provide an insight into the meaning of the text before each reading. We will give space after each reading for you to consider what God might be saying to you through his word. We invite you to take a moment to quiet yourself before you begin.

The late scholar and seminary professor Glenn Stossin points out that there are seven themes found in the 17 key passages about God's kingdom that we see in the words of Jesus and the prophet Isaiah. God's presence as spirit or light is found in 9. Deliverance or salvation occurs in all 17. Peace is found in 14.

Healing in 7. Joy in 12. Return from exile or return to God through repentance appears in 9. And righteousness or justice is found in 16. When we pray for God's kingdom to come and God's will to be done, that is what we are praying for.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day 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 evil. The prayer, your kingdom come, your will be done, is also a prayer of repentance. It is an acknowledgement before God of our own need to return to him and seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

As Stausen says, it is to pray for a life that gives thanks for the mustard seeds of the kingdom that happen in the midst of wrong and a life that participates in Jesus' way. As we pray the Lord's Prayer once more, hear God's invitation to return to him and consider where God might be inviting you into repentance and renewed faith. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day 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 evil.

Let's close our time with prayer. Our Father in the heavens, we pray that your kingdom would come and your will would be done. We look out into our world and see violence, poverty, racism, injustice, and innumerable other examples of human brokenness.

They serve as reminders to us of just how desperately we need your kingdom. Show us more of your glory and power. Send more of your presence and your peace.

Shape us into people who can be vessels of your joy and healing. We pray that we would see your kingdom come in our households, our marriages, our workplaces, our schools, our communities, our nation, and our world. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.