THE KINGDOM IS NEAR “Jesus went to Galilee and preached the Good News from God. ‘The right time has come’ he said, ‘And the Kingdom of God is near!’ ”. Mk 1:14, 15 GNB Always, it seems, something is near. At one time an economic crisis is looming. Occasionally some politician indulges in “sabre-rattling” and it sounds as if war will break out. The dire predictions of global warming make us feel uneasy. Terrorism is always lurking. Just occasionally there is some good news waiting to break on the world but it soon gets pushed out of the way. It is the same in the Bible. And God is waiting to break in and spring some new surprise. But His imminent arrival is always good news. Now the long weary years of people trying to obey God’s laws as their way of responding to Him were drawing to a close. Instead of His laws, His grace was about to burst in and bring wholeness, joy, and hope. His kingly rule was coming to subdue the demons that plagued peoples’ lives. It was going to speak forgiveness for sins and effect reconciliation with God. It was going to turn people inside-out spiritually and bring about a new God-consciousness that would fill people with power, peace and love. And it was not only going to be offered to the Israelite people, it was now about to encompass the world. God is ever waiting to gate-crash our complacent attitudes, our familiar ways of thinking and our traditions. And He doesn’t mind upsetting the apple-cart, revising our ideas and challenging our presuppositions. That’s what happened when Jesus came. And He is still coming! We pray, as He taught us, “Thy Kingdom come”. And, because so many other kingdoms seek to control the world, we need His Kingdom more than ever. PRAYER THOUGHT Lord, may your Kingdom come anew.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 23:17:30 +0000
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