Midweek Musing- July 16, 2025

The Seventh Musing in a Series on the Lord’s Prayer

Matthew 6:13c – “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

When I played football (before a back injury derailed what I am sure would have been either a pro-bowl or mediocre career) I remember that after football games the team would recite the Lord’s Prayer in unison. If we had won, we’d be so ready to celebrate that we’d end up saying it as fast as humanly possible.

We’d race through the “Our Father” part, bolt through “daily bread,” dodge sin and temptation, and then—like crossing the finish line—we’d shout the final part like it was the touchdown-winning play: “ForThineistheKingdomandthePowerandtheGloryForeverAmen!”

Nobody knew what we were saying—but it sounded fun and cool.

Now, years later, I smile at that memory, but I also realize this closing line is more than just a liturgical afterthought. It’s the exclamation point on everything Jesus has taught us to pray. It lifts our eyes, refocuses our hearts, and reminds us of who’s really in charge.

Now, if you open a modern translation of the Bible (like the NRSV or NIV), you’ll often find that this line— “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever”—appears in a footnote or is set apart. That’s because this doxology doesn’t actually appear in the earliest Greek manuscripts of Matthew’s Gospel.

Church historians and scholars believe it was added by the early church, especially for recitation as part of their public worship. And honestly that makes sense.

Indeed, this doxology reflects the language and rhythm of praise found throughout Scripture—especially in the Psalms and 1 Chronicles.

For example, 1 Chronicles 29:11 says:

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty… Yours is the kingdom, O Lord.”

Sound familiar?

I certainly hope it does. (If not, please see me after class.)

Now while this doxology may not have been part of Jesus’ original teaching, it absolutely aligns with both his theology and the Hebrew Scriptures he knew well and loved deeply. So, let’s take a moment to look at the words and phrases in this closing to the prayer.

“For thine is the kingdom…”

The Lord’s Prayer began with “thy kingdom come.” Now we end by declaring it’s already God’s. What began as longing now ends in trust and confidence.

Think of it: in a world filled with broken politics, shifting empires, and fragile institutions, this bold statement is declared:

The kingdom belongs not to Caesar, not to corporations, not to presidents, or generals, or the wealthy one percent but to God alone.

It’s a reminder that we belong to something bigger than any nation, institution, or moment. We are citizens of a kingdom that cannot be shaken because it is the kingdom of the one true God.

Next, we find the phrase “…and the power…”

Now it is important to remember that God’s power is not like human power. It isn’t used to dominate or exploit, but to create, redeem, and restore.

Such language goes back to the language of the Psalms which repeatedly affirms the following:

“Power belongs to God.” - Psalm 62:11

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” – Psalm 46:1 

Jesus personified this on earth by showing this power—not through domination, military might or the accumulation of wealth—but through healing, forgiving, washing feet, and rising from the dead and sacrificing his life so that God’s power might conquer death for all eternity. Friends, that’s the kind of power we’re praising here.

“…and the glory…”

The word for glory in the Greek manuscript is doxa. Fully defined and interpreted this is the radiance of the divine’s faithful presence, the weight of God’s beauty, and the brilliance of God’s holiness.

We of course live in a world full of attention-seeking glory—self-promotion, celebrity culture, influencers, and the like—but the doxology reorients us by reminding us that only God deserves ultimate glory.

Not us. Not our achievements. Not even our churches.

This prayer teaches us not only to seek God’s kingdom, but also and this is hard in our world to step out of the way so that God gets the credit.

The late President Jimmy Carter exemplified this in his life and in his words in his book Living Faith Carter wrote: “True faith involves humility—recognizing that we are not in control, that we are not the source of strength or success. Faith means we step back and let God be at the center.”

In fact, Carter has often said that he felt most fulfilled when he was serving others, not when he held positions of power. He saw the presidency as a calling, but not his identity.

In one of his Sunday school lessons (which he continued teaching even into his 90s), he remarked: “I try not to preach about myself. I try to let my life, and my actions reflect Jesus, not just my words. The credit belongs to God.”

And once when working on a Habitat for Humanity site he was asked why he worked so humbly on job sites even into his senior years, he said:

“We (President and Mrs. Carter) don’t do this to be recognized. We do it because we serve a Savior who washed feet. The work is not about us—it’s about showing the love of God.”

This is a deeply biblical model of stepping aside so that the glory of the work belongs to God which is the closing of this powerful prayer given as a gift from our Lord and Savior.

As theologian N.T. Wright says:

“Worship is the act of bringing our lives into the story where God is the hero and we are the grateful participants.”

Finally, forever.

“…forever.”

This one little final word changes everything. It reminds us that what we pray today is not temporary, not chic and trendy, and not constrained or limited.

The great truth is God’s kingdom, power, and glory are eternal.

God was here before us. God will be here after us. And God holds us in every moment in between.

In this final line of the Lord’s Prayer, we’re doing three holy things:

We’re worshiping.

We lift our eyes from ourselves and fix them on God’s greatness.

We’re surrendering.

We’re saying, “God, all of this is yours—not mine.”

And perhaps most powerfully we are trusting.

No matter what happens in the world, this is our hope:

The kingdom belongs to God. The power is God’s. The glory is God’s. And that never changes.

“‘Amen’ means ‘Let it be so’—not ‘The End,’ as some folks have told me they thought.

It’s not just a closing line; it’s a declaration.” No, it’s not just a sign we’re done praying.

It’s a declaration that we believe this prayer is true—even on the dark days, even when life is hard.

It’s the bold font exclamation mark of deep faith, relentless hope, and defiant trust.

Friends our Lord’s Prayer begins with adoration, moves through petitions and confessions, and ends with worship.

It begins with “Our Father”—and ends by saying, “You are the Lord of lord’s and King and king’s, forever and ever. Halleluia!”

So next time you say the Lord’s Prayer, don’t rush the ending. Don’t throw the doxology in like spiritual small talk.

Say it with boldness:

“For thine is the kingdom…

and the power…

and the glory…

forever.

Amen.”

Because that, my friends, is the gospel in one final grace filled breath.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Alleluia Amen.