Walter Rauschenbusch’s Prayer for the Kingdom of God

Walter Rauschenbusch’s Prayer for the Kingdom of God

O Christ, thou hast bidden us pray for the coming of thy Father’s kingdom, in which his righteous will shall be done on earth. We have treasured thy words, but we have forgotten their meaning, and thy great hope has grown dim in thy church. We bless thee for the inspired souls of all ages who saw afar the shining city of God, and by faith left the profit of the present to follow their vision. We rejoice that today the hope of these lonely hearts is becoming the clear faith of millions. Help us, O Lord, in the courage of faith to seize what has now come so near, that the glad day of God may dawn at last. As we have mastered nature that we might gain wealth, help us now to master the social relations of mankind that we may gain justice and a world of brothers. For what shall it profit our nation if it gain numbers and riches, and lose the sense of the living God and the joy of human brotherhood?

Make us determined to live by truth and not by lies, to found our common life on eternal foundations of righteousness and love, and no longer to prop the tottering house of wrong by legalized cruelty and force. Help us to make the welfare of all the supreme law of our land, that so our commonwealth may be built strong and secure on the love of all its citizens. Cast down the throne of Mammon who ever grinds the life of men, and set up thy throne, O Christ, for thou didst die that man might live. Show thy erring children at last the way from the City of Destruction to the City of Love, and fulfil the longings of the prophets of humanity. Our master, once more we make thy faith our prayer: “Thy kingdom come! Thy will be done on earth!”

PERCIKAN PERMENUNGAN:

Akankah Kerajaan Allah, pada masa kesempurnaannya tiba, itu kelak berisikan orang-orang yang memegang kencang doktrin ineransi Alkitab dan kemutlakan textus receptus dan King James Version?

Adakah di sana para teolog dan filsuf Kristen yang di sepanjang hidupnya berapologia terhadap agama-agama lain?

Akankah di sana seorang pendeta yang begitu giat menyuarakan dengan lantang ajaran-ajaran raptur dan kerajaan seribu tahun?

Adakah di sana seorang teolog Injili?

Adakah di sana dijumpai seorang lulusan teologi?

Adakah di sana dijumpai seorang pendeta/rohaniwan?

Adakah di sana dijumpai seseorang beragama Kristen?