Secrets of the Kingdom of God

Have you ever heard someone say, "Repent, the Kingdom of God is near!"? 

What feelings or thoughts come to mind when you hear that? 

Honestly,  I have always had mixed emotions about that verse...until recently. God gave me a new perspective on this. 

^{John 1: 14} After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

One of the ways I've seen this verse was futuristic...Jesus is coming back soon, better get my life in order...oh my goodness! And, Luke 20:30 does lend itself to that thought pattern.   

But, in John 1:14-15 we see a different concept. What Jesus meant when he said this was literally...the kingdom has come near...it is standing right in front of you!

How much closer can it get? 

Jesus was standing there, offering people heaven on earth. 

In the Old Testament, there was a system for getting near to God. People made long treks to the temple. They cleansed themselves before coming close to God. And even then, they needed a priest or a profit to tell them the things of God.  

Fast forward to the New Testament. God, through his Holy Spirit, would now live on the inside of his people. Awesome news! 

The Kingdom of God is near! 

I'm so glad He lives on the inside of me, being my comforter, being my peace, my joy!  While I love to go to church, I'm glad He doesn't only reside in church...but in my heart...where I can access him anytime....whether I'm clean or dirty, full of sin or repented. He is there!

Humbled by Service

Today on my drive to work, I was thinking about how serving others makes my faith come alive. Sometimes when my relationship with the Lord has become lifeless (due to my lack of discipline of course), it does me good to serve someone else. 

As I was sitting at my desk working this morning, a knock came at my office door. It was our wonderful custodian, Gilbert, who cleans and polishes the courthouse. He makes this place shine like a new pair of shoes. It’s not unusual for him to ask if there is anything we need or something he can do for us. 

But, this time he was holding a pot of coffee. He looks at me and says, “Coffee?”

^{Luke 12:10} Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 

My office is on the second floor. The coffee pot is downstairs on the first floor. I’ve never had coffee delivered to my office.

Not sure what to say, out comes, “No thanks...um, I take cream and sugar.” I knew that was a stupid thing to say but I was caught off guard.

He smiles, pours my cup full and says, “I will be back!”

Before I can say anything, he takes off. A couple minutes later, he shows up with cream, sugar, a coffee stir stick and a napkin.

I smiled gratefully and told him that he was a good man. I thanked him kindly for his generosity and service.

Gilbert continually looks for ways to serve everyone at work.  I know he is a Godly man, and I know he does these things to glorify God, not himself.

As a Christian woman who knows I’m suppose to “serve others”, I repeatedly find myself thinking I don’t have any opportunities or the time to serve. Or, I convince myself it has to be some big, long-standing, time commitment. But, God reminded me today that is not true. There is always a way to serve others, even if it is just pouring them coffee.

Needless to say, I’m humbled.

Humbled that someone served me rather than me serving them.

Humbled that God showed me it doesn’t have to be a big thing. The smallest things can bring a smile to someone’s face.

Humbled that this man’s faith is so strong that he looks for ways to serve all of us to glorify God.

Luke 10:38-42

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”