EXPLORE IT! - Matthew 6:9b-10

Matthew 6:9b-10   hallowed be your name, ¹⁰your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (NIV)

As we look to conclude our series, “Joy to the Work!,” we begin to think about the future and how our work fits into God’s plan.  One of our passages this week, Matthew 6:9b-10, is part of the Lord’s Prayer.  This portion of the prayer lists three “your” requests:

1.       Your Name (nature, character) be hallowed

2.       Your Kingdom come

3.       Your Will be done

All of these are very similar requests, expressing the desire that God’s full manifestation would rule the earth today.  We desire to see God’s character, His reign, and His will universally operating in all of humankind.

Our culture today is more and more walking away from God.  People today do not seek to be like God, emulating His character in their daily lives, but seek to fill their lives with pleasures, whatever feels good, and whatever is popular.  Today, individuals want to reign over their own lives, making decisions that seem best, are the easiest, or the most appealing.  Our culture wants to do what they want to do and not look to anyone else to tell them they are doing anything wrong.  In fact, many believe there is no universal right or wrong, only what feels good in the moment.

Our desire should be for our community, our family, friends, co-workers, etc., to make a U-turn and come back to God.  For this to happen, the first step begins with us.  We need to be change-makers, we need to be a light in a dark world.  We need to share the love of Jesus wherever we go, be Jesus to everyone we come into contact with.  We are called to be heralds of God’s message in a deaf world.  We are called to be a city on a hill, a refuge to those who do not even know they are in need of a Savior. 

For us to be a light in our culture today, it begins with actions.  We are not only seeking these three “your” requests for our world, but for ourselves.  We must desire to possess God’s character, we must desire for God to reign in our lives, and we must desire for God’s will to be done in all we do.  His character, His reign, and His will must flow from our daily lives – at home, at school, at the gym, and at work! 

Blessings,
Pastor Amy