Power and glory

America is an easy stand-in for the power and glory we wish for ourselves. We like being big, rich, and super powerful to the exclusion of all other nations on earth. We don’t often take “American exceptionalism” as the putdown it is meant to be; we wear it like a badge of honor. Being American makes us feel like we ourselves are exceptional, powerful, second to none.

Or at least that we deserve to be so if we aren’t already. Because, you know, we’re American.

When we don’t feel like we’re in our rightful place at the top, we go looking for two things: Someone to blame and someone to put us back on our pedestal. Nowhere is this more plain than a political campaign. Blame and promises of future power and glory win a lot of votes.

Make America great again so I can feel great again. Power and glory.

Every morning on the way to school, I say the Lord’s prayer with my four-year son, Daniel. Are you familiar? When his apprentices asked him how to pray, Jesus Christ said to pray this very prayer:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever and ever.
Amen.

It’s that last line that carried a lot of weight for me during the presidential campaign: “For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever and ever.”

It’s the way Jesus put it that got caught in my mind: The kingdom, the power, and the glory. As if there is only one kingdom, one power, and one glory and they belong to God alone.

Go deeper with me. The kingdom, power, and glory are God’s forever and ever. Forever is not the future. Forever extends in all directions and all times. In other words, God possesses the kingdom, the power, and the glory whenever, wherever.

So what does this tell us? That if the kingdom, the power, and the glory belong to God alone, any kingdom, power, or glory that we think we acquire for ourselves must be counterfeit, fake, phony, a sham. Whether it be by means of authority, fame, might, or money, our kingdoms, our power, and our glory are sure to disappoint and fail. They are not real.

Evidence?

When is the last time any kingdom, power, or glory of our own making was able to save us from ourselves?

I don’t think the point here is that “God is so big and strong and you’re not.” This is no contest.

The point here is that we can choose to be in the kingdom, power, and glory of the God who gives us daily bread, forgives our debts, and leads us not into temptation. We can choose to be in the kingdom, power, and glory that can save us from the evil we do to each other and to ourselves.

It’s not a matter of might or political maneuvering; it’s a matter of simple faith. The kind of faith that can pray a simple prayer. Like this one:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever and ever.
Amen.