“Jesus was and still is ushering an upside-down kingdom: He rules by serving and triumphed by laying down His life as a ransom for many.”
After having meditated on and journeyed through the Lord’s prayer for the past seven months, the concluding words of the Lord’s Prayer remind us that it all starts and ends with God’s glory and His Sovereignty. And it is when God stops being the center of our lives that things start to fall apart.
Indeed, hunger for status, power and glory is more often than not at the root of much pain and suffering in the world! More so when people in positions of responsibility abuse their authority and power to establish their own “kingdoms”, pursuing their own glory that comes at the expense of the weak, the poor, and the vulnerable. Not so the Kingdom of God!
Jesus fed the hungry, healed the sick, valued children, honored women, reached out to the downtrodden and the marginalized, thereby giving them dignity. “The thief,” He said, “comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). In a sense, Jesus was and still is ushering an upside-down kingdom: He rules by serving and triumphed by laying down His life as a ransom for many.
Our fallen nature and bad role models have infected our notions of kingdom, power and glory. This is why the Lord’s prayer needs to be ours daily in order to model the Kingdom God desires.
We are grateful for God’s renewed grace and mercy throughout this past year, as we had the privilege to witness His Kingdom expanding, lives being transformed, and minds renewed. We are also grateful for your faithful prayers and support as we continue seeking to speak up for the oppressed and to equip and resource the local Church so that it may be the hands and feet of Jesus regardless of the circumstances, pursuing the full meaning of the Gospel in Word and deed.
Finally, and despite the fast-deteriorating socio-economic situation, we cling to the belief that God is in control and that He is able to redeem the current crisis for His glory. And so, we pray that the outcome is a Church and a nation that put their trust in God, and with hearts lifted upwards, will acknowledge that “thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen!”
We are so very thankful for your gracious and faithful support and prayers over the years. The LSESD team wishes you a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year!
NABIL COSTA
Chief Executive Officer | LSESD