You may judge me for this, but when I hear the word kingdom, I think of one of our family’s favorite places: Disney World! And of course Magic Kingdom. There’s something about walking through the grand entrance and down Main Street that gets me every time! When you see the palace it feels like you’re in another world, a kingdom all its own.

We’re not accustomed to kingdom language because we’re not accustomed to kings. The definition of a kingdom is a country, state or territory ruled by a king or queen. When we pray for God’s kingdom to come, we’re addressing him as ruler, as sovereign. As a matter of fact, Revelation 19:16 declares:

On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Revelation 19:16

What we must recognize is that, early in the prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray to God who is both near (Father) and far (King). We can sit in his lap (Father), and we must bow at his feet (King). We need his guidance (Father) and we need his protection (King). He wakes us each morning (Father) and expects complete obeisance throughout the day (King).

Theologians refer to this as God’s immanence (his nearness) and his transcendence (his “far-ness”). To understand him as only near is to lose sight of his glory, his radiance, his sovereign rule over all of creation. To see him as only far is to lose the sense of his fatherly love, his tender care, his attention to the details of our lives.

He is wonderfully both.

Will you boldly pray for his kingdom to come in your life? Your workplace? Your marriage? Your singleness? Your career? Your neighborhood?

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