kingdom | Prayerscapes Blog

“Kingdom Threads” is a prayer poem that came to me as one continuous stream of thought as I was settling down to sleep one evening. It is a picture of threads being sown, woven and laid across the lands, connecting the broken and needy with the goodness of heaven and desolate places with the power of prayer, for these are “threads that mend, threads that gather, threads that change, threads that lead others into the hope of eternity”.

What is the Kingdom of God? It is fundamental to the message of Christ and is mentioned over 150 times in the New Testament alone. Jesus frequently speaks about the Kingdom of God in parables, and it is central to how he taught his early followers to pray (Matthew 6:9-13). He speaks of it in many ways – it’s beginnings may be as small as a mustard seed, it is like a pearl of great worth and like yeast that gradually pervades the whole of the dough (Matthew 13:33).

This extraordinary kingdom is not like any earthly kingdom, or any kingdom we have seen before. Rather, it is wherever God’s ways rule, and the great news is that this can be through us! It is open to all who seek the forgiveness of God and love the Holy Spirit, and whose hearts are abandoned to the ministry of our heavenly Father. If we, God’s children, seek to remain in him in every thought, deed and feeling we can be assured that God will take and use us to extend his Kingdom ways on earth, just as his Kingdom is fully realised in heaven.

I pray that “Kingdom Threads” will bring vision and encouragement to your heart as you weave God’s threads of light, love and truth into the lives of all you encounter: –

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And listen to “Kingdom Threads” on Spotify here.

Here are the words to this prayer poem: –

Who are God’s children? A blend of human and holy, restless longings and redeemed dreams, real doubts and fearless faith. Amidst the drab days they weave kingdom threads of kindness, patience and generosity, sewn carefully as beautiful golds within the grey. They ride upon the heartbeat of Christ, clothed in forgiveness, finding strength in the struggles, hope in the hardships and a love that brings life. God’s children snuggle under the blanket of grace where their differences melt away and tensions fade. Humility blossoms like an intricate embroidery within their lives. And joy dances amongst them, as they bin the fast fix of comparison, bypass the sting of competition and burst the bubble of control.

God’s children join together, worship in unity, engage in vulnerability, and ooze encouragement. Fear does not stand a chance, it cannot grip these little ones, showered with perfect love, unconditional affection and a peace that surpasses understanding. Panic is overridden. Shame is swept away, selfishness slayed by the thrill of compassion. And when they sing in harmony, move in sync and run as a team…there is no limit to their impact. Distinctive men and women of integrity are fashioned in God’s family. Unique, complete individuals, who rest on God’s word, seek the truth and walk daily with Christ. Dreamers and visionaries who cross the boundaries of class and culture to bring understanding and reconciliation. Devoted teachers who instil goodness and hope into the young, gifted medics who pursue excellence in treatment and care, entrepreneurs who release vision, model integrity and shun greed. Creatives who leave behind self-interest to bring the goodness of heaven to earth, faithful advocates who keep and protect the vulnerable.

God’s children learn to love each other’s imperfections, connect in brokenness and celebrate differences. Yes! And where their feet tread, their hearts engage or their voices ring out, golden kingdom threads are laid, threads that mend, threads that gather, threads that change, threads that lead others into the hope of eternity. Gods children, his sons and daughters weave royal threads of kingdom family, reflecting the majesty of the creator, heavenly and stunning and utterly indestructible.

God’s Kingdom? We are taught to pray “Your Kingdom come” yet what does this look like, how is it built on the rubble of this fallen world? When praying for our city I once had a picture of golden threads, weaving their way through lives, criss-crossing areas and institutions, linking people and places. We perceive silver and gold as permanent because they were formed in the stars before the earth began! And I believe these Kingdom threads to be the same, they are permanent, seen and recorded in the heavenlies, sown into our lives and the lives of those around us. And yes, this means that God’s Kingdom can be built into a person or place – woven, sewn, interweaved and yet that person or place not acknowledge it to be Christ’s legacy at work. This Kingdom work is vital and ground changing, taking a school from ordinary to extraordinary, transforming patient care into care that connects, restores and goes beyond its perimeter. Kingdom work can keep safe the vulnerable, provide dignity for the confused or freedom for the disabled. Kingdom friendship can protect families, rebuild marriages and heal relationships! And little by little it changes the soil in the lives of God’s children, hardened ground gets softer, stony land is filtered. The weeds die back to create fertile conditions.

In the parable of the sower we learn that what counts is where the seed falls! Kingdom threads change the ground in the families, schools, hospitals, businesses or government. This can be hard work, to continue to sow in kindness, past exhaustion, to weave in vision and hope where there is apathy, or stand up for Kingdom values in a sea of selfishness. Yet, these threads are not insignificant. They are gold that stands the test of time, treasure that is recognised beyond this crumbling world. They are life riches that sustain and empower us through this world and into the next!

Thank you Kingdom weavers of past and present! We all join with a creative God, in the work of bringing His Kingdom to earth.