Heaven on Earth

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Matthew 6:10, ” Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. “

Background

I wonder if I would have signed on for having as many kids as we have if I would have known. I hope I would have, for they are six amazing blessings, borne of the same parents but incredibly unique in so many ways. But had I known – had I known what they would teach me about myself, I might have been tempted to take a different path. If I had been warned that they would be such life-lesson instructors, times six, even before they reached their teen years, then at least I might have prepared myself for what was coming. But each day now for me is like sitting in a classroom and getting my knuckles whacked by the teacher with his ruler. And sometimes I even manage to get sent to the principal’s office. Lately, when my entire family is together, some of the kids have taken to helping parent and police the others. Completely on their own initiative, they are calling out offenders and correcting bad behavior. They even seem to have certain areas or activities where they seek out offenders and relish in making a catch. And then it can get ugly, for the tones and attitudes that are used to correct the offender are often times much worse than the offense. There is a harshness and a venom that is more interested in demoralizing the other than in resolving the problem and restoring peace.

Application

And I think that is where my kingdom comes in, and my will is being done. That is where I see too much of my spirit in them. God sent His Spirit to us to enable His will to be done here on earth like it is in heaven, but unfortunately my sinful ways and my unloving spirit are reproducing themselves in my next generation. My kingdom is coming instead of my King’s. And it hurts much more than just my knuckles. So I’m going back to the beginning. Back to Our Father in heaven, and I’m going to hallow His Name. And if His Spirit will do Its work in me, if my heart will desire His kingdom more than my own, then grace will flow where now there is little. If God is God, then I’ll let Him have His way, even on my little part of His earth.

Charge

As we seek Him today, thank God for His kingdom and for the times you get to experience some of heaven on earth. And bring to Him the areas where your kingdom still reigns.