More Praying

Matthew 6:10 - Your kingdom come.

So many issues with just this one line!

First there is the idea of kingdoms for people who live in a republic. This is a minor nitpick. If we look at the prophets' visions of the kingdom, we see they were characterized by peace, community, love, and joy. No more night! No more fears! No more tears! God will be in the midst of her! Don't we all yearn - at least sometimes - for such a place?

Second there is the idea that this is God's kingdom. Will it be here on earth or in heaven? It says kingdom come. Come to us! Yes, God please be with us. Only in you is our peace and community. O does it mean come about somewhere else? Now or later? Who's to say. It is kind of vague so far.

Third and I think most important there is the question of who will bring the kingdom. Is it God alone and all we have to do is wait? Probably not! Is it us? Probably not, we do not have the power by ourselves. Perhaps it is us working with God. It is interesting that this is the passive mood. The doer is vague and yet we yearn for the coming of the kingdom.

Fourth, there is the question of perhaps inclusivizing the language here. Dr. King talked about the beloved community. There are others who use kin-dom. We are family after all. This idea also reminds us that we are all equal in this community. No king, no courtiers, no hangers on. No more Jew nor Greek, male or female, slave or free. Just joy and love and God in the midst of her.

Yes! God in our midst. Jesus said elsewhere that the kingdom was near. It is still near if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.
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