The very first word of the Lord's Prayer should bring the humble recognition of God's impartial love for all His children. The use of "our" rather than "my," should teach us that true prayer is not asking for oneself alone, but is a brotherly desire for the unfoldment of God's blessings to the whole human family, irrespective of one's place in the social scale of human standards.
Christendom in general frequently repeats: "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." But more than verbal repetitions are necessary to bring about the establishment of God's heavenly kingdom on earth, and the realization that our Father's good will is the only universal law. Every prayer carries with it the responsibility of definite spiritual thinking from the standpoint of Truth as taught in Christian Science. The kingdom of heaven, which is man's spiritual and eternal home, is not limited by space or time, but reigns forever within the consciousness of man. In this home, there is but one divine Parent—our Father-Mother God; but one harmonious family—generic man. And in the proportion that mankind thinks and acts from this premise, will the dawn of heaven on earth be realized.
Jesus tells us, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." This does not mean that we must forsake all adult pursuits, and return to juvenile ways of living, but that with conscious humility we must take our rightful place in our Father's home as His children, wholly and happily dependent on an unfailing Providence. Like little children, we must implicitly trust our Father-Mother to supply our every need; and like little children, we must also have a normal expectancy of good. The Master, who wrought marvels that have not been equaled in human history, said that he could do nothing of himself. He never lost sight of his sonship, for he knew that man's ability to accomplish good is a reflected and unlimited ability.
