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Good morning. For seven years, we lived in the fertile
foothills of Mount Kenya, virtually on the equator. As you enter the
chapel of St Andrew’s, Kabare, the college where I taught, there are
some wonderful Kenyan door carvings. On the left is depicted Jesus
feeding the 5000. On the right, deliberately echoing this, is Jesus
seated at table in the kingdom of God. As he promised in Luke’s gospel,
people are coming from all over the world, from North, South, East and
West to eat with him. In the chapel itself, the service of Holy
Communion takes place, celebrating the presence of the kingdom. So there
is past, present and future in the one building.
In the Lord’s prayer, when we pray ‘your kingdom come’ we long for the
completion of what Jesus has already started. The kingdom of God was his
main theme – he was always talking about it and telling stories about
it. Through him and his mission, God was actively establishing his rule,
his kingdom, amongst people. And surprising people were entering into
this exciting movement, even Gentiles, the non Jews. It was happening
now, but was not yet complete.
In praying this prayer, we commit ourselves to sharing the good news of
the kingdom, to working for its extension and longing for its
completion, when the whole universe is remade.
Our Father, your kingdom come. You are for turning, turning us round,
upside down, and inside out. Help us to give ourselves to your kingdom
of challenge and love, through him who called for turning and trust.
Amen.
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