Kingdom Come

A few nights ago Jonathan and I stood on the back porch and watched herringbone clouds scroll past the moon. Coyotes howled in the distance, punctuating the hum of traffic. The frogs croaked. For a moment all three stars in Orion's belt sparkled, until a belt of thicker cloud rolled in and settled down among the tops of the evergreens.

Our youngest flung open his second-story window and stood silhouetted against the yellow square of light.

"What are you doing?" he called.

"Watching the sky."

"Why don't you let me go outside late?"

"You're six. And sometimes we do let you."

Inside, paperwhites bloomed and a purring half-Siamese wound around my ankles. Jonathan went upstairs to sing to the children, the last step in their lengthy bedtime ritual of songs, scripture, prayers, reading in bed, more songs. I had to remember, once they fell asleep, to play tooth fairy.

The other cat wandered through, talking to herself in her usual grumbling whine. Was she strange because I named her Puck, or did I name her Puck because she was strange? I couldn't recall. I lowered the blinds and put the kettle on. Outside, soft rain began to fall.

In The Divine Conspiracy Dallas Willard says that we each reign in our own kingdoms, in the sphere of our influence; and that in doing so, we practice to reign with Christ eternally. So we must pay attention, for small though our kingdoms are, much is under our control--always our attitudes, and many decisions large and small. We can have paperwhites and cats. We can love each other faithfully. We can take five minute to look at the moon.

We are not so helpless as we think.

Most of all, we can attend to the constant tutoring presence of the King of Kings, who not only supports and sustains our smaller kingdoms, but surrounds us with his larger kingdom of seasons, trees, stars, and rain--of justice, mercy, and grace--a kingdom that is, at times, too lovely to comprehend.

Thy kingdom come, Lord. Whatever small kingdom is under my rule, I want it to be exactly like yours. So when I say "thy will be done," understand that I do not mean your will instead of mine. I mean, please help me to will exactly what you will, so that when your will is done, mine is done also. Make my will and my kingdom part of your will and your kingdom.