"For yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:13)
These are some of the words that our Saviour taught us to say every day. We know that the Lord's Prayer is to be offered daily, because in it we have the petition, "Give us this day our daily bread." (Matthew 6:11)
We need bread every day, and we are to ask for it as we need it; so day by day we are to acknowledge to God in heaven that the kingdom belongs to Him.
What will be the effect of this prayer when prayed in faith that is well-instructed? First of all it will bring forcibly before our minds what and where God's kingdom is. We pray to our Father in heaven, and are reminded that: "The Lord prepared His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all." (Psalm 103:19) "Our God is in the heavens; for He has done whatsoever He has pleased." (Psalm 115:3)
He has all power, and nothing is too great for Him to perform in and for His kingdom. If there is rebellion, He can subdue it. If reforms are needed, He can carry them out. But we must not forget that great as is the kingdom of God, the Saviour has said, "The kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21)
This surely means that those who know and acknowledge the truth shall have "largeness of heart," (1 Kings 4:29) breadth of understanding. Our hearts are to be large enough to take in the world; for we read that: "He has set the world in their heart." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
This means obedience; for "largeness of heart" means wisdom: "And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. And he spoke three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springs out of the wall: he spoke also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes." (1 Kings 4:29-33)
And: "The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." (Job 28:28)
Daily to say to God, "Yours is the kingdom," knowing that the kingdom of God is right within us, is to agree to keep His commandments; for we read again: "I will run the way of your commandments, when You shall enlarge my heart." (Psalm 119:32)
This acknowledgment contains our assurance of righteousness. When we long for holiness of life, and are inclined to despond because of the natural perverseness of our hearts, that causes evil to be present with us even when we would do good, we have but to remember, continually remember, and acknowledge with the whole heart, that we are God's kingdom, and that He can do whatsoever He pleases in us. Nothing is too hard for Him. Our weakness only gives Him the opportunity more effectually to exhibit His power. He can work in us to His fulfill all the good pleasure of His will. "The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven." (Psalm 11:4)
But we are His temple, and His throne is in us. So our acknowledgment, "Yours is the kingdom" ought to be a request to the Lord to take to himself His great power and to reign supreme in His kingdom, doing what He will with His own. When we utter the prayer understandingly, we virtually say to Him, "I give the reins of government over to You; cast down and out every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of You, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Drive out everything that offends. I cannot cleanse the temple--the task is too great for me--so I give it over into your hands, and shall depend on You to see that it is wholly cleansed."
And with this word comes the comforting assurance that He has never failed any who trusted in Him; for: "He is faithful that promised." (Hebrews 10:23)
So as His is the power, to Him shall be the glory, for we shall be "to the praise of His glory" as we trust in Him. "That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ." (Ephesians 1:12)--Present Truth, November 6, 1902.