Visions of Glenn Close

This morning’s wanderings are in the final words of the Lord’s Prayer. “Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.”

The first thing that always comes to my mind when I read these words is probably sacrilegious. It is of an old woman with too much vibrato in her voice screeching out those final high notes in the song "The Lord’s Prayer." But God altered this image for me this morning. I stood in the place of the old woman. There I was with arms stretched out, head to the sky, looking very much like Glenn Close in 101 Dalmatians, and I screeched out, “For MINE is the kingdom, and the power, and the gloooooory…”

How absurd is that?

Jewish ears would have heard the prayer of David in I Chronicles 29:11. “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; “

David was Israel’s mighty king. He was the great one. He wielded power. His son, Solomon’s reign was one of glory and majesty and splendor. Yet David knew that his kingdom and his son’s kingdom were only temporary. God is the true king. The kingdom is His. He is the great One who holds all power and glory and majesty and splendor.

So why end our prayers with this doxology so obviously connected to King David?  God knows He is great, so why does He want me to tell Him that He is? Is He in such need of affirmation?

This doxology is a reminder to me. God, Our Father, wants what is best for us. He knows what is best for us. He can do what is best for us. I need to remind myself that God is in charge. I can come to Him with my needs and He has the power to do something about them. But I also need to remind myself that it is HIS kingdom, HIS power, HIS glory – not mine.

I am an American. I am used to having a say in what laws get enacted. (Ours is the kingdom?) I am used to living in a powerful country. (Ours is the power?) I am used to living in a beautiful country. (Ours is the glory?) It is difficult for me to yield to anyone else’s authority. But when I do, He makes my crooked path straight.

Today I will choose to live as a loyal subject to my King. And what does my King want from me today. “He has shown you, O mortal, (Jacki) what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Enjoying “The Lord’s Prayer” sung in Hindi and walking with the King today on the straight crooked path. 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg5wKPOBUKQ