Kingdom

When was the last time that you felt like you were truly in God’s Kingdom?

Throughout my life there have been times where God’s presence has been overwhelmingly obvious.  Moments where the boundary between Heaven and Earth was so thin that it was hard to see where one begins and the other ends.  

I am confident that I will see God revealed on mountain tops.  Throughout my life those places have been my “go-to” thin moments.  On a mountain top there are few distractions and the view, “where heaven meets earth,” is appropriately inspiring.  

If I’m sitting on a mountain top and it is pouring rain…I’ll be more challenged to see God’s Kingdom.  Of course It’s still there, even in that rain.  That inspiring, heaven meets earth, perspective has not disappeared.  I just can’t see at the moment.  If I am patient the rain will eventually stop, the clouds will part,the sun will shine through and I will see again.  God will always be revealed.

Often it seems like God’s Kingdom is far away but Jesus teaches that the Kingdom of Heaven is actually much closer than we realize.  

“From that time Jesus began to announce, “Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of heaven!””  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:17‬ ‭CEB‬‬

God’s Kingdom surrounds us and Jesus’ death and resurrection made it possible for us to see it, anywhere, anytime.  What separates God’s Kingdom from our own has more to do with our own perspective than anything else.

I haven’t been on a mountain top in the rain in a long time.  It is easy to plan ahead before making the trip.  I can check the weather, make sure I have what I need, etc.  I can make the most out of my time with God on the mountain.  Still, I have to remember that my goal is beyond that trip up the mountain.  Eventually I’d like to see God’s reality more often than my own anywhere.

God’s Kingdom is everywhere. We live in it but life is best when we recognize it. We really need to see it. Find places where it is easy for you, your mountain tops, and go there often. These “glimpses” are wonderful reminders of how great life can be when God’s reality becomes our own. These moments also improve our ability to see God’s Kingdom everywhere else.