Around the time that Kayla and I started consistently praying about the World Race the phrase "As it is in Heaven" jumped out at me as I was reading through one of my old journals.

I remember the first time I had to memorize The Lord's Prayer… on my YMCA middle school basketball team. Before every game, both teams would circle up in the center of the court, hold hands, and recite the prayer. This simple pre-game ritual had little meaning to me at the time. There was really only one thought on my mind - “RJ, let's make it through at least half of this game without dribbling the ball off your foot.”

As I've gotten older I've come to realize the real depth of this 20-second prayer. Even the first few words, Jesus referring to God as “Our Father”, would have sounded radical to the disciples. Jesus was essentially saying “Yes, this BIG GOD is YOUR Father too and he loves you as He loves me”.

I remember the line totally overwhelming my mind - I wrote it in big bold ink across two pages - “As it is in Heaven”. To me, this sums up the primary difference in Jesus and every other person/religion/event in history! He came not to help this world get a little better… Jesus came to bring Heaven to earth - full restoration and nothing less! Jesus was on a rescue mission. The thought that Heaven could exist in this broken and hurting world is almost unbelievable, especially today amongst such a divisive political climate. Yet Jesus said it with CONFIDENCE. It wasn't a question - it was a statement. “Your kingdom come, Your will BE done, on earth as it is in Heaven”. - Matthew 6:10

What a perfect picture of Jesus’ posture too. He walked this earth with his eyes locked on the Father BELIEVING for full restoration. What would it look like us to live with that image of Jesus in mind - for that be our focus as the living church?

I decided in December that I wanted that posture. I wanted to be reminded every morning - “Jesus, I believe you - on earth as it is in Heaven!” I talked it over with Kayla and she agreed. So I did the only rational thing to do when you want to remember something forever… I wrote it on my arm… permanently!

This is one of our prayers leading up to the launch in October. We want to remember that Heaven is here, Jesus’ rescue mission was a success, and Holy Spirit's restoration presence lives inside of all of us! It is with this on the front of our minds that we GO - to be a part of bringing the care, joy, and freedom that exists in the radical statement: on earth as it is in Heaven...

“Like a battle weary soldier
I'm lifting up my hands
In absolute surrender
My life, my will, my plans” - Phil Wickham