The second line of Jesus’ prayer draws attention to what he believed was his (and God’s) desire for the world – that God’s Kingdom would break through and permeate the entire world and humanity.
Bringing God’s Kingdom to Earth was the core of Jesus’ teaching throughout his ministry. For Jesus, this meant feeding the poor,
releasing captives, welcoming outsiders, and healing the sick, among other acts of compassion.
The critical thing to notice is that Jesus not only prayed for God’s Kingdom to come to Earth, but he also actively participated in bringing this kingdom to the world around him.
For our prayer life to be rich and meaningful, we must first align our priorities with God’s
mission for the world. We need to realise where the greatest needs are in the world and then pray that God’s Kingdom will break through in those places.
Furthermore, after we have prayed for God’s Kingdom to break through, we need to do what we can to bring God’s Kingdom to the world in which we find ourselves. Just like Jesus, God has called us to partner with God in bringing God’s Kingdom to humanity. What a
privilege!
Jesus’ prayer life wasn’t profound only because he withdrew to quiet places (although this was undoubtedly important). It was deep because his quiet prayers empowered him to transform the world around him.
Do your prayers align with God’s mission for the earth?
How do you feel about God’s invitation to partner with
God in bringing the Kingdom of God to the world around you?
Reflections by Joe Taylor
