Thoughts for the Day

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!” For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.’

Then he said to the disciples, ‘The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. They will say to you, “Look there!” or “Look here!” Do not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

From the original text it's not quite easy to say whether Jesus means that the Kingdom of God is in us or among us, but whichever it is Jesus says that God's Kingdom is present now. Looking at our world for the last two thousand years we may wonder where this Kingdom is as we see such evidence of human aggression throughout our world. At any one time there are dozens of wars, and evil seems to flourish. So where is there evidence of God's Kingdom?

Well God's Kingdom is present when love is present. In my life the Kingdom was present when my parents chose to adopt three-year-old twins and take them from an orphanage that would shut them into a dark cupboard if they had a temper melt-down. The Kingdom was present when a number of the members of the General Synod in the Church of England changed their minds that morning and voted for the Ordination of women to the priesthood on 11th November 1992. The Kingdom was present as a stranger sat alongside my husband when he was deep into dementia and gently stroked his hand, and he smiled at them.

This amazing Kingdom exits wherever love exists - that is where love is shown for another person, or animal, or our world. This love seems so small and fragile, that it cannot possibly overcome evil. But our God is a God of love and He will bring in His Kingdom of Love.

Heavenly Father,
You designed our world out of love,
the kind of love that puts others first,
and offers peace and justice to all.
You sent Your only Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ out of love
to rescue us from our sin,
May we help to bring in Your kingdom
in our life, in our thoughts and actions
this day and in the future.
Amen.