Thy Kingdom Come: Finding God's Kingdom in Ordinary Places
Growing up seeking the world’s extraordinary, and then becoming a Christian and seeing the wonder and awesomeness of God, it’s odd to discover that the Lord meets us most often in the ordinary, that holiness is most often developed in the ordinary, and thus is should come as no surprise that His prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, teaches us all about meeting Him in the ordinary.
Our Father Who Art in Heaven - Our Father is in Heaven but He has placed us on earth for a time. He does not ask us to be of the world, but to be wholly and completely present to it, for when we are present to the small details and ordinary occurrences in our daily lives on earth, we commune with and discover the nature of our father in heaven.
It’s in the random happenings, small exchanges, lane changes, door holdings, checkout lines, bill paying, daily tasks - that He is whispering to us “Show them who I am” and asking us “Do you trust in me?” It is in those moments that we get to be part of bringing heaven to earth.
This is the life of simple faith.
“To seek and find the God in heaven here on earth demands that we be awake and alert to the here and now.”
Hallowed Be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom Come — Kingdom people are people who live out that simple faith and show others a taste of heaven, a sampling of our good Lord’s nature. There are four characteristics of kingdom people:
Awareness of God’s love
Love of others in a manner appropriate to one’s lifestyle
Surrender to the present
Peace and joy
Source: Living the Lord’s Prayer
When life is rough on others and has worn them down, made them bitter, kingdom people can still see the good in them and love them anyways because God loves them anyways. It’s a matter of seeing the truth of who this person really is, a child of God, and loving them because of their inherent nature and your Father’s.
There are seasons in life; a season of childhood, singleness, married life, religious life. To love others in a manner appropriate to one’s lifestyle is to match your expression of love to your current vocational call. If you are single, love others by telling them about the Lord - volunteer, serve, give of your time and flexible schedule. If you are married, love your spouse through sex, self-sacrifice, giving of your time and attention. Parenthood calls for another display of God’s love, and so on.
“What God arranges for us to experience at each moment is the best and holiest thing that could happen to us.”
Many of us want to plan out how our lives will go, even if it’s just meal planning for the next week, but God usually has other plans. To surrender to the present is to detach from the outcome and live in the moment. Live slower so there’s space around each exchange to proactively think - how can I show God’s love in this moment? Then repeat that thought for each moment after that.
All of this is to be done with peace and joy. Not necessarily because everyone in your life is making you happy or all occasions are bringers of joy, but with patience and fortitude over time, one can love the Lord so deeply that a joy develops in loving others in their very ordinary human lives. A peace grows around your new lifestyle of simple faith - a lifestyle that does not need to control, figure everything out, plan, be disappointed about unmet expectations or people getting in your way. But one that surrenders, allows, forgives, and loves.
Thy Will Be Done on Earth as It Is in Heaven - “What is the Lord’s will?” This is a common question of most believers. There’s a desire to hear a bold declaration from our Father about what He wants for our lives. But it’s not often we hear from Him, if at all. Yet He has already given us the Ten Commandments and the Bible, both great sources for discerning His will.
When a decision needs to be made, ask instead:
What I am about to do and does it go against the Ten Commandments?
Does it go against my faith and what God asks of us in the Bible?
Does it lead me to sin?
Does it make my ego and Satan happy because it keeps me comfortable as someone who is of this world?
If the answer is yes to any of those, make a different decision.
Make a faith-based decision.
A life of faith-based decisions is a life that most closely demonstrates His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. It’s a simple faith - just do specifically what God has already asked of you in His word.
“The will of God...means humility in behavior, constancy in faith, modesty in conversation, justice in deeds, mercy in judgements, discipline in morals. We should be incapable of doing wrong to anyone but able to bear patiently wrongs done to us. It requires that we live at peace with our brothers and sisters, loving God with our whole heart: loving him as our Father.”
Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread - Everything we have is a gift from God. He provides for us on a daily basis. Understand this. Grasp it fundamentally in your bones, and give great thanks. This will humble the ego and keep it from tempting you into thinking you need more or your life is not enough. It will squelch the ego from ‘easing God out’.
Forgive Us Our Trespasses As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us - We are all sinners. God knows this. But do we know it?
Knowing we are all sinners means two things.
We need to release ourselves from the guilt of having done a sinful thing. Confess, repent, ask God for forgiveness and then let it go. Pray for and intentionally seek holiness.
We need to release others from what they have done.
It’s a two-part act; forgiveness. It must be given and received freely.
Lead Us Not into Temptation But Deliver Us from Evil - Sin is a split-second decision, with a long period of temptation pre-empting it. If temptations are managed, sin is avoided. If temptations are indulged in with the hope of abstaining from sin at the last minute, the forecast looks cloudy.
There are eight sources of temptation:
food
sex
things
anger
dejection
acedia
vainglory
pride
And eight virtuous counterparts:
self-control
chastity
generosity
patience
diligence
perseverance
humility
charity
Source: Living the Lord’s Prayer
What are you tempted by most?
Pray for protection and seek to understand and embody the opposing virtue. You will be tested, most likely in simple ordinary moments that don’t appear like a test. Accepting the cross of our temptations and the work required to become virtuous is part of the path to holiness.
“The cross is God’s chosen birth canal to our truest identity and thus to a “new creation”. When we actively embrace it, we are set free from the ego and begin to live as little Christs.”
Our loving God never abandons us, especially in times of temptation or trial. No matter how simple or complex, ordinary or extreme our lives may currently be, God is with us.
In return, as kingdom people, we live knowing all things come from God, we claim everyone as family, we surrender our lives to His will and crowd out self-gratification with self-sacrifice. We forgive others and ourselves, we act with peace and joy as we seek to bring the kingdom to life’s everyday simple and ordinary moments. We surrender to every cross that comes our way, with trust and hope.
We live out the Lord’s Prayer; an abridgment to the entire Gospel.
Reflection Questions for Readers
Where do I see glimpses of God’s Kingdom in my daily life?
What small action can I take today to bring more of God’s will into the world?
How can I become more aware of God’s presence in the ordinary?
A Simple Prayer to Close
“Lord, open my eyes to see Your Kingdom around me. Make me an instrument of Your peace, love, and justice—even in the small, hidden corners of life. Amen.”
