Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Calvin on how God's kingdom comes

In chapter 8 of Prayer-Tim Keller's book on which has its subject declared in the title-Keller examines the world's best known prayer: The Lord's Prayer. He examines it in  light of the insights that John Calvin, Augustine of Hippo, and Martin Luther provide in their studies on the topic. Keller provides an almost line-buy-line exposition of the prayer, informing the reader of the ideas that the three masters committed to writing. Though I have read, and been taught, similar studies on the Lord's Prayer, I still thoroughly enjoyed Keller's treatment of it.

A particulr passage I particularly enjoyed was the writing in regards to the line "Thy kingdon come." Keller informs, "Calvin believed that there were two ways God's kingdom comes-through the Spirit, who "corrects our desires," and through the Word of God, which "shapes our thoughts.""

I love this twofold approach as it engages our minds by the Biblical shaping of our thoughts as well as our hearts through the Spirit-empowered correction of desires. I find the head-heart-hands paradigm very compelling and to read this approach to God's Kingdom coming was great. Keller comments on this idea writing, "We are asking God to so fully rule us that we want to obey him with all our hearts and with joy."

This is what I want. And whether or not this is precisely what Jesus had in mind when he instructed the disciples how to pray, I do want him to so rule my heart that obedience is a delight. So I pray, Thy Kingdom come!

1 comment:

  1. I thought this was a great approach as well. Very motivational.

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