Your Kingdom
As Christians, we have a lot to hope for. We long for the day when Christ
will return for His bride. We look forward to eternity because we know we will be with Jesus forever. No more tears, no more pain, just pure unadulterated worship and joy in the very presence of God Himself. Oh, what a day that will be!
However, the Bible paints a picture of a kingdom not only in the future,
but one that reigns now. It isn’t just a “wait and see what comes next” but it’s a “my life is changed in the here and now.” In theological circles, this is the concept of the already but not yet. When I first pondered this reality, it was a real game-changer for how I viewed God’s kingdom. I heard it said once that we don’t wait to die in order for our eternal life to start; the day we put our faith in Christ is the start of a new life that will never end! In this way, death will not prevail over us. We start living eternity today, right now, still on earth.
“Your Kingdom” seeks to pull these concepts together: celebrating the
kingdom of God as already here with us on earth, but also retaining the hope for the future, the glorious everlasting that awaits all believers. Two things that are true of heaven- the presence of God and the worship of God- these are things we want to sing about now “on earth as in heaven.” God’s presence will ultimately be poured out in heaven, but to experience His presence here on earth gives us a glimpse of what we are made for. To worship God fully and without imperfection will no doubt be incredible, but to experience that worship here on earth gives us a taste of the feast that awaits us in eternity.
There’s also a lot in this song about what God has done for us. I like to
think of this as revelation, or what is true about God. We sing that Jesus bought us (Gal. 3:13) and that His grace saves us (Eph. 2:8). We rejoice over death’s inability to win (1 Cor 15:55, Rev 21:4). Of course, we proclaim that the kingdom of God is at hand (Matt 3:2). When we reflect on these amazing acts that only God can do- our response is worship and praise. It must be! When His Spirit is moving, we can’t help but respond. Beyond singing, we also respond in prayer asking for His will to be done in our lives, for His name to be lifted higher, and for His very presence to go with us every day.
Lastly, this song mirrors the overarching story of the Bible. It’s a story of redemption- starting with creation and shame in the garden of Eden, taking us through the saving work of Jesus, and ending with life everlasting. Our hope is that this song would be a catalyst to help listeners join with creation and bow down in worship. To Jesus, our Savior, be glory forever!