Heaven on Earth

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

         The closest thing to heaven on earth is the will of God. That thought occurred to me recently, as we were reciting what is commonly called, “The Lord’s Prayer,” in the church where our son, Andrew, ministers the Word. When the Kingdom of God is fully realized, the will of God will universally prevail. A kingdom presupposes a king, with the idea that those within the kingdom are “subjects” of the king.

         When people speak of heaven on earth, they invariably refer to a pleasurable situation, one in which their own desires and dreams are fulfilled. When their own will, as it were, has been apprehended. Yet this verse says just the opposite. The Kingdom of God—heaven, if you will allow me to equate them here—is only had by submitting to the will of another: God. Today, when most people seem to be “feeling” their way through life, gratification of our own physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual desires has become the epitome of fulfillment. But when our own will prevails and we experience momentary elation, followed by the inevitable discontent, it becomes painfully apparent that we are not so far removed from the young child crying petulantly for the latest toy.

         Heaven is not heaven because of golden streets, pearly gates, or angelic choirs. Heaven is heaven because God is on the throne and His will prevails. And anywhere else where the same thing is true, is the closest thing to Heaven on Earth—whether it is in a church, a home, or a heart.