Question 102: What do we pray for in the second petition?Answer: In the second petition, which is, "Thy kingdom come," we pray, That Satan's kingdom may be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and the kingdom of glory may be hastened.
Dear Neighbor,
The coming of the kingdom of God is the greatest and deepest desire of my heart. It was not always my deepest desire but has been since the day God gave me a new heart, with a new desire.
In his book, City of God, Augustine wrote about the reality of two kingdoms. There are two kingdoms side by side. There is the kingdom of man, ruled by Satan, and the kingdom of God, ruled by Jesus Christ. A day and hour is coming in which God will judge the world in righteousness through Jesus Christ. Satan will be vanquished and the kingdom of man will be no more. As believers, we are to pray for the advancement of God’s kingdom.
Some have said that it is sin to not be unsatisfied; however, the truth be told, I am not satisfied with the status quo. This world and the way it is, is not what I desire. My children are following the way of the world. I take care of people who are going through a great deal of suffering. People lie, steal, murder, are unfaithful and covet. I desire true community, yet I often feel lonely. I do not want to live in the City of Man any longer but desire to live in the City of God. I do not desire death but desire to truly live. I desire heaven on earth. No more death, no more pain, no more sorrow; everyone truly loving God and truly loving one another. I do not believe in a disembodied eternal existence, floating on the clouds as in some fictitious tale of old. I believe in a bodily resurrection from the dead, walking up right, in a new heaven and new earth where righteousness reigns.
Michael Peek
Your Servant for Jesus’ Sake
