Your Kingdom Come

The Lord's Prayer has profoundly shaped the prayer life of Christians and church communities for generations.  There are two versions of Jesus’ prayer in the gospels, one in Matthew 6:9-13, and the other in Luke 11:2-4.  The version in the gospel of Matthew has been regularly recited in formal church services and Christian gatherings for 2000 years.  Often a simple benediction is added “Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever amen.”  It is at its core a prayer for Gods Kingdom to come.

Reciting the Prayer and Using it as a Prayer Guide
Simply reciting the prayer can be helpful in our corporate and personal prayer life.  But the prayer also provides a powerful pattern for personal prayer when we use it as a framework for approaching God and aligning our hearts with His.  When we explore the depths of the thoughts and topics the prayer covers, we can gain insights that enrich our prayer life. It then becomes a prayer catalyst that leads us through some of the traditional modes of prayer such as adoration, thanksgiving, confession, and supplication (prayer for our needs and the needs of others.)

A Prayer of Repentance and Submission to God’s Will
Used as a guide, the prayer can also be understood as a prayer of repentance which refocuses our hearts and minds on Gods purposes rather than our own.  It’s order and flow lead us to submit to God’s will first before we pray for our own needs.  Central to the prayer, and marking the transition to praying for our needs, is the phrase “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.”  That is like the prayer Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane before he went to the cross (Matt 26:39). Thus, Jesus’ prayer is not only a pattern for us to follow, it was also central to Jesus’ own life and mission on earth.

A Reflection on the First Part of the Prayer
The prayer is divided into two parts, with the first part emphasizing God's character and purposes, and the second part focusing on human needs and participation in God's mission. 
Our focus in this study is on the first part of the prayer. It can be the part of the prayer we tend to rush through so we can begin praying for our urgent needs.

The first part of the prayer encourages us to slow down and approach God with reverence and awe, recognizing His sovereignty and holiness. Each phrase and even each word opens our minds and hearts to a whole area of reflection and meditation that can enrich our prayer lives. Consider these examples:

Our Father. The first word of the prayer in the original language of the scriptures is father. Literally the first two words could be translated “Father of ours.” Thus from the very first word, we enter an intimate yet reverent relationship with God. Father reflects the familial bond between God and His children, highlighting His love, care, and provision. His love, grace, and affection for us go far beyond any earthly father.  When we see the love of Jesus, we see the Father’s love (John 14:9).

Our Father. “Our” is the second word of the prayer in the original languages. It points us to the power of corporate prayer and praying together.  But it also reflects the reality that we are praying through Jesus.  This is the prayer Jesus prayed, and he continues to pray to the Father in heaven for us (Heb 7:25).  We join with Jesus in prayer when we pray our Father.  I find that a very encouraging thought to reflect on as I pray.

In heaven. “In Heaven” emphasizes God's transcendent nature and supreme authority over all creation.  We are invited us to pause and imagine we are entering into a spiritual reality in prayer that transcends this physical world while also including and having authority over it.  Like John says in Revelation, Jesus stands at the door and knocks (Rev 3:20). He also invites to ascend with him into a heavenly place of the spirit wherever we are (Rev 4:1).  We can all come boldly into God’s throne room in prayer through Jesus, and there we find grace to help whatever our time of need (Heb 4:16).

Hallowed be Your name. By praying for God's name to be hallowed, we express a desire for His name to be made great in the earth and in our lives.  When using the prayer as a guide, we spend time in this part of the prayer giving God honour and reverence.  We allow our minds and hearts to consider all the richness of His being and character.  A good way to do this is to pray through different names of God and all the amazing ways the bible describes Him.  He is our provider, our creator, our healer. He is God with us, our strength, the God of angel armies, our King, our Lord, our Saviour, and God with us.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven: This part of the prayer aligns our hearts with God's Kingdom agenda, prioritizing His reign and rule in our lives and in the world. By praying for God's Kingdom to come and His will to be done, we surrender our own desires and agendas, seeking to align ourselves with God's purposes and plans. When we pray Your kingdom come, we can also pray for God's salvation, justice, righteousness, and peace to come.  These are all ways God’s Kingdom is revealed through Jesus.  We can pray for healing, joy restoration and the presence of God to be active in our lives and in our neighbourhoods. Once again, all marks of God’s Kingdom (See for example Rom 14:17) .

It invites us to approach God with reverence and humility, recognizing His holiness and sovereignty, and surrendering our will to His.

Concluding Thoughts
The Lords’ prayer teaches us to begin our prayers deliberately, carefully, and creatively praying with a God centred orientation.  It sets the tone and fundamental orientation for our prayers by emphasizing worship of God, submission to His authority, and alignment with His purposes. Then our hearts are much better prepared to address our human needs in the second part of the prayer.  We can then pray for daily provision while trusting in God's faithfulness.  We can seek forgiveness for our own sins while extending forgiveness to others; and we can pray to resist temptation and overcome evil while relying on God’s strength to do so.  The Lord’s prayer is thus a prayer that changes, transforms, and renews our hearts and minds to pray Your kingdom come in every area of life.

Life Group Activities and Discussion Questions
1. How has prayer played a role in your spiritual journey, and what significance does it hold for you personally?
2. In what ways can the Lord's Prayer serve as a template for building a more structured and intentional prayer life? 
3. Can you share any personal experiences or insights related to using the Lord's Prayer in your own prayer practice?
4. Reflecting on each phrase of the Lord's Prayer, which aspect resonates with you the most, and why? 
5. How do you think incorporating the Lord's Prayer into your daily prayer routine can impact your relationship with God and your understanding of His character and purposes?
6. As a Life group, discuss practical steps you can take to implement the insights from this reflection into your personal prayer life.
7. How can you hold each other accountable and encourage one another in your prayer journeys?

Additional Resources for Our 21 Days of Prayer in 2024
Here are some details on church activities and resources that you can engage with as a Life Group over March to build your prayer life individually and as a Life Group. 
• Reading through gospel of Matthew. Daily readings from Matthew’s gospel are available on our church website and app. 
• 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. From March 4 to 25, we are encouraging everyone to take part in 21 days of prayer and fasting.  A CityLife Church prayer guide will be made available with prayer points and additional readings from the book of Nehemiah to complement our readings in Luke. 
• Congregational Prayer Events. All our congregations will also be having a prayer or encounter meeting during the 21 days of prayer and fasting. Details available on the website for each site. 
• 24 Hours of Prayer Each Day for a Week. In the last week of our 21 days of prayer, we will be praying together as a church for 24 hours a day for seven days.  To facilitate this, there will be an online prayer roster so you can sign up to pray for any hour of the day or night.   You could even choose to do this as a Life Group!
• Prayer before and during church services. There will also be opportunities for prayer and prayer ministry before, during and after our church services.  So do come a little earlier to our church services to pray together.