Your glorious cause, O God
Engages our hearts
May Jesus Christ be known
Wherever we are
We ask not for ourselves, but for Your renown
The Cross has saved us so we pray
Your Kingdom come

Let Your Kingdom come
Let Your Will be done
So that everyone might know Your Name
Let Your song be heard everywhere on earth
‘Til Your sovereign work on earth is done
Let Your Kingdom come

Give us Your strength, O God
And courage to speak
Perform Your wondrous deeds
Through those who are weak
Lord, use us as You want, whatever the test
By grace we’ll preach Your gospel
‘Til our dying breath

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

I just love when a song, such as this anthem, stirs my heart and provides me with lyrics to sing out the Scriptures!  (You, too?)

When Jesus was asked by one of His disciples to teach them how to pray, this is what He thought important to include in their prayers (and ours, too!):

And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place,
when He ceased, one of his disciples said unto Him,
Lord, teach us to pray…
And He said unto them, When ye pray, say,
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins;
for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Luke 11:1ff

Such a simple prayer (thank You, Lord…You know we are really very simple beings!) yet full of deep, foundational truths.  As I sang along to this song, I thought about how Jesus was the One Who brought God’s Kingdom to the earth…and will be the One Who, when He returns as Lord of lords and King of Kings, will fully and completely—forEVER and EVER—establish God’s Kingdom here on earth…as it is now in Heaven.  Glory!  HalleluJAH!  Praise You, Jesus!  Thank You, Father!

The prophet Jeremiah spoke the prophecy of Jesus’ first coming to the earth:

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
And He will reign as king and act wisely
And do justice and righteousness in the land.
In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell securely;
And this is His name by which He will be called,
‘The Lord our righteousness’ ”
Jeremiah 20:5 and 6

Daniel also spoke prophetically of the Kingdom to come:

But the saints of the Most High shall receive the Kingdom,
and possess the Kingdom forever, even forever and ever.
Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.
Daniel 7:18, 27

When God sent Gabriel to Mary, the angel spoke these words about Jesus and His Kingdom:

“…He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High;
and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,
and His Kingdom will have no end.”
Luke 1:32 and 33

And much was told to John in the vision given to him (the Book of Revelation), including this passage among many, many others:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth;
for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying,
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men,
and He will dwell among them,
and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them…”
Revelations 21:1-3

These truths are such comfort and encouragement to us as we live in this dark, and increasingly darker, world.  But we must remember to pray…daily…as Jesus instructed.  And we must keep our hearts set toward God as we anticipate Jesus’ return and His everlasting Kingdom!

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Sovereign God,

Thy cause, not my own, engages my heart,
and I appeal to Thee with greatest freedom
to set up Thy Kingdom in every place
where Satan reigns;
Glorify Thyself and I shall rejoice,
for to bring honour to Thy name is my sole desire.
I adore thee that Thou art God,
and long that others should know it, feel it,
and rejoice in it.
O that all men might love and praise Thee,
that thou mightest have all glory
from the intelligent world!
Let sinners be brought to Thee for Thy dear name!
To the eye of reason everything respecting
the conversion of others is as dark as midnight,
But Thou canst accomplish great things;
the cause is Thine,
and it is to Thy glory that men should be saved.
Lord, use me as Thou wilt,
do with me what Thou wilt;
but, O, promote thy cause,
let Thy kingdom come,
let Thy blessed interest be advanced
in this world!
O do Thou bring in great numbers to Jesus!
let me see that glorious day,
and give me to grasp for multitudes of souls;
let me be willing to die to that end;
and while I live let me labour for Thee
to the utmost of my strength,
spending time profitably in this work,
both in health and in weakness.
It is Thy cause and Kingdom I long for,
not my own.
O, answer Thou my request!

a prayer from Valley Of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions – by Arthur G. Bennett