Transformed JuniorsSample

Pillar 1 - Prayer

“In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
[a]For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." – Matt 6:9-13

Jesus did so very much for us; among the very long list of blessings, for instance, He left us a pattern on how to pray. What does He instruct us to pray for? – The Father's kingdom to come down to earth as it is in heaven and His will (by our obedience) be done.

Jesus talked about the kingdom more than anything else in the Gospel accounts. That tells me He wants people to know what God’s kingdom is like. Well, none of us have physically been to heaven, at least not yet. Jesus doesn't want that to hinder us nor does He leave us without understanding. He reveals the secrets of the kingdom in multiple parables and likens it to a mustard seed, hidden treasure in a field, and leaven in bread.

He says in Mark 4:11 (NKJV), "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables." It is essential to check our understanding of the things Jesus speaks about. Here He says the secret has been given to you (His close followers). If you don't quite understand what His kingdom is, that's normal. We will never fully comprehend it until it comes to earth as it is in heaven. Besides, there were plenty of times the Lord turned to His disciples and said (in modern terms), "Hey, are you getting this?" Other times they pulled Him aside and said, “Master, what do you mean by this?”

I have found that it is more fruitful to have a hungry heart seeking the secrets of God, rather than an overflowing head that has all the answers. The Kingdom may not be easy to comprehend, but it can be as simple as this – it is Jesus’ Kingdom in heaven that He has partly brought to earth and one day will fully bring. We need to daily seek Him for the answers we deeply desire, just as the disciples did. As we know, man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Perhaps that is why Jesus says, "Give us our daily bread." I see that as "give us our daily understanding, our daily secret, or daily fellowship with You, oh Lord". May God bless you today! Amen