I want to be
heartfast.
Feet flat
knees flexed
legs taut
stand my ground.
Knocked hard
breath blown
wind gone
still be found
in place
intact
lungs filled
arms ready
eyes up
fixed firm.
He’s why
I’m steady
His hand
in mine
lifegrip
keeping me.
I grasp
His Word –
Truth told
lovingly,
not just
my own
to hold
but to share.
Love's light
bursts out
flings fire
everywhere.
I want to be
heartfast.
Inside
heart core
King’s seal
marks his own.
Won’t melt
can’t break
sure pledge
from his throne.
Centered
anchored
hearthold
riveted
heartsight
straight ahead
one prize
coveted --
Heartfast.
It was 26 years ago that I wrote that private testimony to what was my key goal: faithfulness to my King. That had been the driving impetus to my decision, when I was 12, to let go of childish wanderings that focused on other things. I truly decided to follow Jesus with all my heart, no turning back!
When we make a decision like that, we are actually moving into just the right position, one where the Master takes over direction and gives purpose to life. He also shows us what his Kingdom principles are, and mentors us daily so that we can learn to live them out. We are living in his Kingdom!
Contemplating this has given “The Lord’s Prayer” much more depth of meaning this year. I had heard this said before, but now it sings in my heart—especially after hearing Matt Maher’s song frequently:[1]
Father, let Your Kingdom come
Father, let Your will be done
On Earth as in Heaven
Right here in my heart
Yes! That cry for the Kingdom to come, for Abba’s will to be done on earth as in heaven—through the years had I heard it as a cry out to God to rule the whole world and change it from chaos to perfect order. Adding those words about “my heart” to Jesus’ Prayer, in the song, broadens the impact in a way that is relevant to me right here, right now.
Dallas Willard has been one of those authors whose works have mentored me on my spiritual journey. There was a conference in 2013 to contemplate his teaching, and the book Living in Christ’s Presence was put together as conversations between him and John Ortberg during that time—a kind of resume of key aspects of Willards’ writings. The theme that struck me with renewed impact was this focus on the Kingdom:
“Jesus came as the kingdom bringer. His gospel was the availability of the kingdom. His purpose was to manifest the kingdom. His one command was to pursue the kingdom: ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God.’ His one plan was to extend the kingdom. But many people do not understand the phrase the kingdom of God, because it’s in archaic language . . .We don’t have kings in this country.”[2]
The key, then, is understanding that a king has dominion. God rules: he has dominion. We are made in the image of God, so we have some personal dominion and we do love to exercise it: my rights, my property, my space . . . This is why, Willard points out, it is hard to lead people. They resent having their personal dominion infringed upon. Then too, kingdoms intersect. They overlap in marriages, neighborhoods, nations. As we know, this leads to issues. Exercise of dominion leads to conflicts in this world.[3]
So why would we want to be part of God’s kingdom? Why would we want it to rule? Because it is good. No more brokenness. The King is completely good. As Jesus said, it is like finding treasure. Willard speaks to this:
“The right vision of the kingdom isn’t just theologically accurate. It will awaken tremendous desire in you . . . a vision of what is true that evokes a desire in us that is stronger than our desire for anything else. . . There’s the kingdom of God and there’s the kingdom of earth, and Jesus’ plan is to bring up there down here.”[4]
So when Jesus said that the kingdom would not be coming with signs that everyone could see, he was talking about God’s dominion taking over a person’s life, their personal dominion. He said that the kingdom is right there among them, accessible (Luke 21:20,21). He also said that it belongs even to little kids (Luke 18:16), those little ones that wanted to come to him.
The kingdom, our King’s rule, is available. It is “in your midst.” What we have to do is become like the child who decides that he does not have to have his own way after all: no, Papa was right, I need to let him tell me what to do. Then the Kingdom takes over our training, and as we learn to listen to the King we become his emissaries, as well as his beloved children! We leave a broken kingdom to become citizens of the one ruled by love, justice, compassion. And it is a kingdom where we have intimacy with the King. We don’t have to go through his brothers, his mother, his other agents. He knows everything about us and still has patience and good purpose in all that he does in us and through us; he invites us to come to him whenever we want. It could not be better!
Now, our part is to be “heartfast!” Devoted to the King. Looking forward to the day when the Kingdom will not only be available to enter, but will be in charge over everything and everyone around us. No more chaos. No more pain. Right now we do all that the King tells us to, cooperating with him to spread the news about it just as his first disciples and apostles did (cf Acts 8:12; 28:23,31).
Since the word “kingdom” is not always understood today in our circles, we can use language that fits the circumstance and the setting. “Wouldn’t you love to live in a nation where there was no racism or favoritism? Wouldn’t you love to know a person who would accept you lovingly for who you are and empower you to leave behind everything that has been dragging you down, entering a new space where you find health as well as rules that bring peace?”
I am just so grateful to have the Father’s Kingdom right here in my heart! Many of you know that privilege too. May others grab that free entry as the good news about it spreads, price of entry already paid—by the King himself![i]
[1] The Lord’s Prayer (It’s Yours)
Matt Maher • The Lord’s Prayer (It’s Yours) • 2022
[2] Willard, Dallas. Living in Christ’s Presence: Final Words on Heaven and the Kingdom of God. (IVP Books: Downers Grove IL, 2014).
[3] p. 56
[4] p. 57,58
[i] Image found at www.pexels.com, credit to pexels-lucasleonelsuarez-22608904
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