Our Scripture reading is from the Book of 1 Chronicles 29:10-20

Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.— 1 Chronicles 29:11

Here, at the end of this month, we have reached the end of our reflections on prayer. This reminds me that the word end can have two meanings. It can mean that something has stopped, and it can also refer to the main purpose.

So let’s consider the end of the prayer. The traditional conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer, as prayed by the church for many hundreds of years, goes like this: “for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” This expresses the focus of prayer and the goal of our lives. As in life, the purpose of prayer is to keep us centered on God—to have our heart turned to the One who has first turned his heart toward us.

This is what David prayed for shortly before he died. He acknowledged that God alone is King. He prayed that the desire to serve God would always be found in people’s hearts. His prayer at the end of his life conveys what the end—the main purpose—of our lives should be: the glory of God.

So by our prayers and in our lives, let us acknowledge God’s glory. Let us seek the peace and justice of his kingdom and submit to God’s greatness. Let us pray that God will use even us to spread his glory everywhere until his kingdom has finally come!

Let us Pray

Lord, “yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever”! Thank you for the assurance that guides my prayer and strengthens my life. May I dedicate my whole being to you, now and forever? In Jesus’ Name, Amen.