11 min
Whose Kingdom Are You Building? Momma Theologians | Christian Motherhood Ministry
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- Christianity
“Are you truly praying for thy will to be done,” the preacher asked a rapt congregation, “Or for my will to be done?”
My church recently hosted a missions conference where our international and national partners shared their work for God’s Kingdom around the world. For five days, I listened to stories from missionaries and church planters about smuggling Bibles into closed countries, preaching the Gospel to those who had never heard it, and experiencing persecution for the Christian faith. I sat on the edge of my seat as they recounted God’s faithfulness to them in suffering, needs, and endurance. Their testimonies both encouraged my own faithfulness, and yet, caused some discouragement to rise up. I wondered how serving my own little community in the center of the Bible belt could make the same difference in the Kingdom of God. How could I, a mother who works in the home, make an impact on the Kingdom?
On the final Sunday morning, one of our international church planters shared an exhortation for our faith family to live on mission wherever we are. He ended with the question above, challenging whether we truly were living our lives for the Kingdom of God. He encouraged us to submit our will to the Father’s by daily praying, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
We’re all kingdom builders. In my home, my primary mission field, I often want to build my kingdom, rather than God’s. I build routines that protect my own comfort rather than provide opportunities for Gospel proclamation. I use my discipline to point to my own control rather than God’s sovereign rule. I create all day long—meals for my family, words for others, activities for my children—expecting to receive glory rather than point to my glorious Creator. I steward my home and family to establish my own kingdom, rather than to further God’s Kingdom.
The question is not whether you and I are building a kingdom. It’s whose kingdom are we building? Because we all are part of the story of the Kingdom.
________________
Practical Takeaways
Begin memorizing the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. You can even invite your children to join you!
Brainstorm different ways you can go out of your comfort zone to share the Gospel with others. It might be inviting your children into your Bible study time or striking up a conversation with another mom at the park.
Read through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 where he describes what the Kingdom of God is like.
Prayerful Takeaways
Begin each day by praying Matthew 6:10 over your planner and to-do list—that God’s Kingdom would come to earth through your work that day.
Pray through the different areas of your life and ministry right now. Ask God how you can join his Kingdom work in each of those areas.
Confess ways that you have been seeking to build your own kingdom rather than God’s.
___________________
Momma Theologians Contributor
Bethany Broderick
Bethany Broderick lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband, three-year-old daughter, and one-year-old son. A recovering perfectionist, she writes about resting in God’s grace in the everyday moments of life as a woman, wife, and mother. She is on the blog contributor team at The Joyful Life and has featured articles at Risen Motherhood, Coffee + Crumbs, and Kindred Mom. You can find her words on her personal blog (dwellingword.com) and on Instagram (@bethanygbroderick).
“Are you truly praying for thy will to be done,” the preacher asked a rapt congregation, “Or for my will to be done?”
My church recently hosted a missions conference where our international and national partners shared their work for God’s Kingdom around the world. For five days, I listened to stories from missionaries and church planters about smuggling Bibles into closed countries, preaching the Gospel to those who had never heard it, and experiencing persecution for the Christian faith. I sat on the edge of my seat as they recounted God’s faithfulness to them in suffering, needs, and endurance. Their testimonies both encouraged my own faithfulness, and yet, caused some discouragement to rise up. I wondered how serving my own little community in the center of the Bible belt could make the same difference in the Kingdom of God. How could I, a mother who works in the home, make an impact on the Kingdom?
On the final Sunday morning, one of our international church planters shared an exhortation for our faith family to live on mission wherever we are. He ended with the question above, challenging whether we truly were living our lives for the Kingdom of God. He encouraged us to submit our will to the Father’s by daily praying, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
We’re all kingdom builders. In my home, my primary mission field, I often want to build my kingdom, rather than God’s. I build routines that protect my own comfort rather than provide opportunities for Gospel proclamation. I use my discipline to point to my own control rather than God’s sovereign rule. I create all day long—meals for my family, words for others, activities for my children—expecting to receive glory rather than point to my glorious Creator. I steward my home and family to establish my own kingdom, rather than to further God’s Kingdom.
The question is not whether you and I are building a kingdom. It’s whose kingdom are we building? Because we all are part of the story of the Kingdom.
________________
Practical Takeaways
Begin memorizing the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. You can even invite your children to join you!
Brainstorm different ways you can go out of your comfort zone to share the Gospel with others. It might be inviting your children into your Bible study time or striking up a conversation with another mom at the park.
Read through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 where he describes what the Kingdom of God is like.
Prayerful Takeaways
Begin each day by praying Matthew 6:10 over your planner and to-do list—that God’s Kingdom would come to earth through your work that day.
Pray through the different areas of your life and ministry right now. Ask God how you can join his Kingdom work in each of those areas.
Confess ways that you have been seeking to build your own kingdom rather than God’s.
___________________
Momma Theologians Contributor
Bethany Broderick
Bethany Broderick lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband, three-year-old daughter, and one-year-old son. A recovering perfectionist, she writes about resting in God’s grace in the everyday moments of life as a woman, wife, and mother. She is on the blog contributor team at The Joyful Life and has featured articles at Risen Motherhood, Coffee + Crumbs, and Kindred Mom. You can find her words on her personal blog (dwellingword.com) and on Instagram (@bethanygbroderick).
11 min