The Lord's Prayer tells us that men HAVE a king over them in heaven, and
that that king is a Father likewise--a Father whose name will one day be
hallowed above all names. That the world will not always go on as it
goes on now, but that the Father's kingdom will come. That above the
will of man, there is a will of God, which must be done, and therefore
will be done some day. In a word, the Lord's Prayer tells us that this
world is under a Divine government; that the Lord, even Jesus Christ our
Saviour, is King, be the people never so impatient. That He sitteth
between the cherubim, master of all the powers of nature, be the earth
never so unquiet. That His power loves justice. That He has prepared
equity. That He has executed, and therefore will execute to the end,
judgment and righteousness in the earth. That Christ reigns in justice
and in love. That He has for those who disobey His laws the most
terrible penalties; for those who obey them blessings such as eye hath
not seen nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to
conceive. That He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet
and delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father. That on that great
day He will prove His royalty, and His Father's royalty, in the sight of
all heaven and earth, and make every soul of man aware, in a fashion
which none shall mistake, that He is Lord and King. This is the message
which the Lord's Prayer brings--a message of mingled fear and joy.

But a message of more joy than fear. Else why does our Lord bid us pray
for it that it may come to pass?--pray daily, before we even pray for our
daily bread, or the forgiveness of our sins--that His Father's name may
be hallowed, His Father's kingdom come, His Father's will be done?

He bids us pray for that because it will bring blessings. Blessings to
every soul of man who desires to be good and true. Because it will
satisfy every aspiration which has ever risen up from the heart of man