In our town, as it is in Heaven

I was running errands on a Saturday morning, and I drove past a church that had a banner out front that read “In Phoenix, as it is in Heaven.” That fresh take on the Lord’s Prayer, likening the scripture unto ourselves, really struck me.

While preaching the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructed his disciples on how to pray: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10

The earth is vast, and in that vastness, it’s easy to hand-wave away. A million is a statistic. I have no power over the whole earth. I have little power over my country, modest power over my state, and a bit more power over my city and community. Things are distressing in the world right now, and it’s overwhelming to see all of the need. It’s hard to know where to start, and it’s easy to feel powerless because I can’t do everything.

I can’t always do anything about whatever problem is happening over there. But I can do something about whatever problem is happening right in front of me. God’s kingdom come, God’s will be done in Phoenix, as it is in Heaven. If I make my city heavenly, and the rest of God’s people make their cities heavenly, then we will make the whole earth heavenly.