“Thy kingdom come” Lord’s Prayer, Third Petition

These three simple words are a ‘big ask’! We are asking God to bless His kingdom here on earth, the Church. In particular, we are asking that His Gospel may be preached in truth and purity throughout all the world, so that, through the power of His word and the Holy Spirit, we and all those in the kingdom may remain firm in our faith, and many more would hear and also believe.

We are asking that He would deliver us from the kingdom of the devil. And we are also praying that God’s kingdom would come to us in eternity when He accomplishes the final victory over all evil and sin, through the return of His Son as the Judge of the living and the dead.

What a priceless treasure we are asking for, then, with these three simple words! And yet we know that God gives more than we even dare to ask for. God’s work of salvation is already complete and we have received the gift of eternal life with Him in His kingdom, which has been won for us through the suffering, death and resurrection of His Son.

We pray in this petition for the day to come when it will become visible to all, when the Son of Man reveals himself as the King on the Last Day. Amen, come Lord Jesus!

O Jesus Christ, do not delay,
But hasten our salvation;
We often tremble on our way
In fear and tribulation.
O hear and grant our fervent plea:
Come, mighty judge, and set us free
From death and ev’ry evil.

Amen.

(Bartholomäus Ringwaldt, LSB 508)