By: Gala Castaños - Outreach Worker in Kingston-Galloway
" Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven".
I have been reflecting on these words a lot more recently. I've been in planning mode for the past month- trying desperately to "get things done" and "survive the day with the kids". A lot of the time it feels like I am in survival mode - once I feel like the kids are settling in; another tantrum or another fight breaks loose. As I read and reflect upon the implications of this passage and how it relates to ministry, there is so much more clarity in the direction that God is leading my heart to press on and take hold of the hope that I have for His Kingdom and the work that He is doing. Here are just a few thoughts and reflections on this prayerful passage and the implications it has in the ministry in KG.
"Your Kingdom Come"
God's model is the ultimate model for ministry- not our own. There is power in what God has done and how He has brought us into His Kingdom through Christ. It is this model; and not the worlds that needs to be demonstrated powerfully amongst the kids. In God's Kingdom, they are valued, loved, cared for by a perfect and good heavenly father. In God's Kingdom, their hunger isn't neglected- but they are fed with an eternal and all satisfying feast of Truth. In God's kingdom- people are accepted for who they are- there is no need to fight to be the best In God's Kingdom they are loved by a Good Father- perfect in all of His ways; slow to anger but rich in mercy and love. This understanding of the Kingdom needs to permeate every aspect of our lives so we can effectively minister to others by it.
"Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"
God is sovereign over everything in earth as He is in heaven. There is nothing that can escape His sovereignty- not even the darkest evil or death itself. He has conquered everything. This means that every good that happens, as well as every murder, shooting robbery, abuse and every kind of evil that happens is governed by a perfect and Sovereign King who works everything for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. This also means that I must submit to the will of the Father; not holding anything tightly as if it were my own and that I must remain open to whatever God is asking of me. If God is the sovereign King and governs all the good and all the bad in life; then we can trust wholeheartedly in the goodness of His character through everything that we are facing. God's will is that we live out our purpose to glorify Him. This doesn't mean that He will take all of our hardship and sufferings away; but use it for His good in conforming us to the image of Christ. This ultimately means that what God is doing in Kingston-Galloway will forever be a stamp of God's work at hand. Though many things may change; the hearts of these kids and families are safely entrusted into the hands of the Father. The stabling force of this work is anchored in the sovereignty of Christ; not in my ability to run seamlessly structured programs.
Everything starts with God and ends with God - it isn't the pressure of programs that should compel us to do this work but rather the pursuit of His glory and His Kingdom. It is this clarity that empowers us to press forward and do even the most tedious tasks in a much more meaningful way. It is this prayer of Jesus that shapes our prayers to be completely in awe and submission to His perfect ways and enables our hearts to resound with the prayers of "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven".