Day 4: Thy Kingdom Come
As you begin to spend time with God, settle yourself somewhere quiet and comfortable. Take a few deep breaths. Spend a few moments gathering your thoughts, becoming aware of God’s presence with you and in you.
Journal for 5 minutes on yesterday’s experiment of honoring and protecting God’s holy name. What did you notice and learn? What challenged you? Did God say anything to you throughout the day?
Then, begin today’s devotional.
Read: Matthew 6:10, Luke 22:42, Matthew 26:42
Perhaps like me, you are a person who sets goals for yourself. Often, I set goals for New Years that seem to only last a few weeks. This year, after gorging myself on sweet treats through Christmas, I have started the year deciding to eat fewer sweets. My sweet tooth is already getting the best of me. Other goals include completing my education, reorganizing my finances, and making sure I read at least two books per month. It is good for a person to set intentions. Without setting goals, one will likely not accomplish much in life. Friends of mine through the years have established career goals for the next 5, 10, and 15 years to make sure they arrive at the perfect points in their careers at optimal times in their lives. I have a deep respect for this kind of goal setting, and have implemented it in my own life at times.
Goals are great to set until they are no longer helpful for completing the will and purpose God has for you. In his book entitled Prayer, Timothy Keller said, “We were created to serve him (God), and when we serve other things in God’s place, all spiritual, psychological, cultural, and even material problems ensue.” Some of my darkest moments have come when I have put my personal goals in front of God's plan. Thinking about the life Jesus led, I am sure there were many goals and dreams He had for His life. After all, he was a master craftsman and highly educated. Imagine all that He might have been able to accomplish if He lived out the full expectancy of His life. However, He came to the place where He aligned his goals to that of His Father in heaven, recognizing that His higher purpose was greater than His earthly goals. And how glad I am that He did that!
There is a purpose for your life that far exceeds what you see right now. Plans and goals are essential for making something significant of your life. But life is much more than what a person plans to accomplish today, tomorrow, or 15 years from now. It is a calling to participate in God’s kingdom coming on this earth.
Prayer: Father, I admit today that I have my own kingdom that I often built and my own will that I often pursue. What I need is Yours. Would You help me accept that Your Kingdom and Your will is better than my own. Help me really live Your Kingdom come and Your will be done. Amen.
Today’s Experiment: When I pray, I regularly do a simple exercise as a symbol of embracing God’s will for my life. I invite you to try this exercise yourself. First, open your hands in front of you, close your eyes and tell Jesus you want His will for your life. You might say, “Jesus, may Your kingdom come and Your will be done in my life.” Second, think about the goals you are setting for your life, and ask yourself if you would be willing to give up some or all of those goals if the Holy Spirit took your life in a different direction. How hard is it to say ‘yes’? For me, it is difficult for sure, but the more I ask the question with my hands open, the more I find greater satisfaction in God’s goals for my life than in the plans I have made on my own.
By Dr. Phil Rasmussen, Vice President – Church Relations and Campus Ministry