This rule of God is not granted to him by popular consent. He is not accountable to his creatures or anyone else. He is the king because he is Lord. He is the one to whom all creation owes its existence and he is the one who sustains every life and grants every breath. His majesty and power transcend anything we can imagine. When the prophets or the apostle John are given just a glimpse of God on his throne, the only thing they can do is acknowledge their unworthiness and his breath-taking holiness and glory — and fall on their faces before him.
When we pray your kingdom come we are recognising a fundamental truth about God. He alone has an indisputable right to rule. The only kingdom that matters in the end is his. The only kingdom that endures is his. That kingdom is a kingdom of extraordinary mercy and grace for those who cast themselves upon him now. It is also a kingdom where justice is done and reality imposes itself on all our little pretensions. The throne belongs to him and not to any of us.
It is in the light of God’s kingdom that we dare to pray and ask our Father to hallow his name and meet our needs. It is because he is king that he is able to give us what we need and guard what he has entrusted to us for that day. His kingdom gives us confidence. Sharing in that kingdom now gives us true joy and hope.
Thank you for praying. Please keep praying that our king will gather his people from every tribe, nation and language. Please pray that our Father will use our College to further that gospel mission. And please pray that our concrete daily needs—especially at this point in time the very real need for space to do this vital work of learning in community in preparation for sacrificial service—will be met by the one who rules over all and loves to give good gifts to his children.
Mark Thompson
Dr Mark Thompson is the principal of Moore College and Head of the Department of Theology, Philosophy and Ethics.
To mark Moore College Sunday held on August 3, we decided to share some resources on prayer to be a helpful ministry resource for you in your spiritual life. How can Moore be praying for you? Let us know: here.
*This blog post was originally published as a letter from the principal included in the March – May 2014 Moore College Prayer Bulletin.
