Heaven on Earth

My most favourite prayer of all is the Lord’s prayer. I learnt it when I was studying in a convent school. It has always remained with me. I would pray this frequently without fully understanding the meaning.

Despite the darkness, I’m reminded of the words of Jesus when
asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied to them by saying, The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display,

Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you].

So now when I pray the Lord’s Prayer, I ask God by faith to fill me with His Holy Spirit. Jesus gladly embraced the cross which was the will of the Father to bring many sons and daughters into reconciliation. This was possible through His willful submission.

And there on the cross in agony, Jesus said Father forgive them, a response of love from a Holy God towards sinful people. And before breathing his last breath, He said it is finished, marking the end of sin’s tyranny over our lives. We see God triumph despite the gruesome death of an innocent lamb by defeating death and raising Christ.

Now through faith in His death and resurrection, we can die to our self and live for Him, gladly embracing His will in all things. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can put to death the deeds of our sinful nature. He now gives us new desires to accomplish His purpose.

He enables us to be a living sacrifice, where our bodies become His Holy habitation. We become His instruments of righteousness as He transforms us daily through our abiding and submission.

Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Praise be to God who gave His son to die for us to make us like Him.

This transformation is possible when we submit to the authority of the scriptures by meditating on it. And by constant communion with God, who helps us in our weakness furthermore by trusting Him that He is Faithful to conform us to the image of Christ.

Pray, therefore, like this:

Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have given up resentment against) our debtors. And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Reference from the Holy Bible Amplified version Matthew 6:9-13)