Thy Kingdom come

In order to teach us how to pray, Jesus gave us the Lord's Prayer to serve as an outline to guide our own prayers. Not only does the Lord's Prayer teach us elements of prayer to incorporate, we also see a Biblical worldview to change our thinking.

Within a Biblical worldview, there are only the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of God. The arrival of Jesus into our world inaugurated the spiritual Kingdom of God with Jesus as king. We choose the kingdom of God when Jesus is ruler over our hearts and lives. In all our prayers, we must choose God's kingdom over the kingdom of the world.

During the Middle Ages, English law provided a way for "sinners" to find refuge. When a criminal or debtor wanted to flee to safety, he would travel to the famous church in Durham and plead for asylum.

After entering the church, the criminal confessed his crime to a priest, surrendered his weapons, paid a fee and changed into a black gown. He lived in an isolated alcove and within 37 days decided whether to stand trial or leave the country permanently.

If the criminal decided to leave the country, it was called "quitting the kingdom" and the person had nine days to depart England's borders. The banished criminal was only allowed to travel on the king's highways and he carried only a wooden cross.

For centuries, this sanctuary practice remained the same: if you've committed a crime, run to the church for protection. This practice provided the repentant offenders with forgiveness and a clean start. However, you were required to choose a new kingdom.

Trusting in Jesus as our Lord and Savior is also "quitting the kingdom." There is forgiveness, freedom from a death sentence and a fresh start. But instead of being sent away in banishment, faith in Jesus brings us back to a saving relationship with God. Through Christ, we become fully forgiven citizens of a new kingdom, the kingdom of God.

In the English Middle Ages, for a criminal to remain behind meant standing trial for their wrongdoing and a certain harsh punishment. But asylum and repentance led to quitting the kingdom forever.

Coming to Our Father in prayer, and asking, "Your Kingdom Come," is the important reminder that through Christ, I have quit the kingdom, the kingdom of this world, and choose God's Kingdom forever.