The concept of kingdom is a bit difficult for Americans. We like our democracy, thank you very much. We'll have none of this “king” business. Yet Jesus talked a lot about the kingdom, and he is the king. And the second petition stems from the first: if God's name is truly holy, it follows that he should rule. Hence we pray, “your kingdom come.” Like the first, this one is a command: “your kingdom must come!” Even though it's directed at God, it's easy to see how this could shape the one who prays it. Not my kingdom, but yours; not an earthly kingdom, but a heavenly one.
The trouble with Jesus's kingdom is that it's here, but it isn't. He went to Israel and preached, “repent, for the kingdom is near” (Matthew 4:17). Yet after his resurrection, his disciples had to ask, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom?” (Acts 1:6). I like to think of it as the already-but-not-yet kingdom. Yes, Christ is already King, but no, the kingdom of this world has not yet been defeated. This gets at the heart of the second petition. We see evil in the world every day and we long for Good to win out. And so we pray, “your kingdom come.”
Just like with the first petition, the answer to this prayer begins with the one who prays it. The true disciple prays “your kingdom come” and then goes out in the world proclaiming that kingdom. Many Christians seem to believe that our primary goal on Earth is to wait for Jesus to come back and take us to heaven. But if the kingdom is already here, and yet not fulfilled, our purpose becomes so much more than that. We can, and should, live like Christ has already conquered the earth, striving to be more like who he created us to be. The fulfillment of the kingdom will happen when it is back to the way God intended it to be, and that includes his people and the rest of creation. Romans 8:19 says that “creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” That is, when God’s people are who he made them to be, creation itself will be “liberated from its bondage to decay” (Romans 8:21)—freed from death. In Revelation, God promises he will make everything new (21:5). Understanding what the kingdom means is essential to understanding this petition. We want his kingdom to reign now, and we act on this by taking the gospel to the world.
In the same way, this petition is also a prayer for the final fulfillment of the kingdom. We echo Revelation: “Come, Lord Jesus” (22:20). If we stop and think about this petition, it may be difficult to pray. Do we really desire the return of Christ? Often we're tempted to be content with a mediocre middle-class American life, with comfortable houses and comfortable churches. Too comfortable to have compassion on the broken, we unknowingly say to Jesus, “That's okay, no need to come yet. We're doing just fine.” This prayer, prayed right, will not allow it. Desperately we cry, “your kingdom come! Come soon!” True disciples recognize the depth of their need for the Father's power. May he not find us unprepared. Instead, may he find us spreading his kingdom.
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