“Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew‬ â€6:10‬
As a kid going to the store
With my grandmother was always fun, mainly because I never returned empty handed. I would get a pack of baseball cards, a coloring book, or Matchbox cars. One time I got one of those Magic Grow expandable water toys.
For those youngsters unaware of these toys, they would come in tiny capsules that you'd place in water. Then you would wait and wait and wait. Then, slowly over time, the tablet dissolved, and these tiny sponges would grow, stretch, and expand before your eyes, becoming things like giant sea animals or dinosaurs.
An encounter with water allowed my toy to grow. Likewise, a meeting with Christ causes our hearts to expand. Time and time again, Scripture speaks of Christ moving through humble acts of obedience and small steps of faith. It starts when we're willing to utter the dangerous prayer, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done."
In the Garden of Gethsemane, with the shadow of the rugged cross in view, Jesus wrestled with this exact prayer. Embracing today's prayer comes at a cost. For God's will to be done requires us to lay down our own. The fact that God has a will is a very pointed reminder that He has an intention for everything He has created. He invites us to participate in His will to renew and restore what He intends.
God doesn't need us to do big things for Him. Trying to do significant things will keep us from seeing the significance of our daily actions. God invites us to walk in obedience in ordinary and mundane moments.His Kingdom advances through a thousand little things. Our work is what we do with our lives. One tiny action expands and captivates all the stuff around it. Impact takes place over time. When our hearts are aligned with God's redemptive promise, our will for our lives gives way to His will for His world.
Consistent effort, generosity, and humility over time matters and speak volumes. There are opportunities all around us to be the church; many aren't these grand sweeping moments but everyday occasions to love and serve others. Each moment and every interaction comes alive with purpose because God has an intention for them. Each day, we face the tension of whose will gets done.
Will we choose our will and our ways, or will we play a part in His will being done? Where are you fighting for your will to be done? What expectations are you unwilling to let go of and keep holding onto? Why do you continue fighting for this thing? Where can you step into ordinary moments to steward your influence, meet a need, and reflect Christ's love to others?
Prayer: Father God, give me eyes to see the needs around me. Let me show up in those small opportunities that often go unnoticed. Let me do my part by humbly serving and loving others as Your kingdom is grown and Your will is done. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
