Jesus when he talked about his ministry always used the words Kingdom of God. And he talked about all sorts of analogies in order to describe what this kingdom looks like. Interestingly enough no one talks like this anymore. "May your Kingdom come and your will be done" and I think it is largely because we are a little confused as to what this is. We find ourselves asking what His will is in prayer. As for the prayer, well, it's just something nice we say at the end of service. That's why we always talk about what we aren't supposed to do, like it isn't supposed to be a program, a building, an event, but then what is it supposed to be?
I am no biblical scholar, but it does not take long for me to understand that the Kingdom of God is a place where God reigns. Where His original design of this world is restored and He is king. But when we look at the Bible it is really strange the way He decides to do this. First he gives weak and foolish people authority and then brings the kingdom through them, as he crowns them as fellow heirs. But one other interesting thing is when he talks about the church in the Bible, Jesus mentions after Peter's confession that Jesus is God that He is the rock upon which he uses the church. In Christianity, our salvation is from the confession of the lips which demonstrate our faith.
God wants to be glorified and worshipped... through people. Everywhere. All the time. (God is good). From the beginning of time, God created man and commanded Him to multiply so that the face of Earth might be covered with God's image and glory. And now, the hope of the world is God's church, a group of rag tag, not so special, believers who make up a body of worshippers believing with the small mustard seed of faith in the POWER of God. The power that is able to create something out of nothing, shine as true light in infinite darkness, and most importantly love fully a broken sinner. The fear that is ignorant to this power is a lie, but it tempts the believer daily to give in and not move and live in the God of all freedom.
But I am now convinced that God is living in me, because who He is and that His kingdom will come through me. And recently, this has been the one greatest fact that has been consuming my mind. How will God use little weak fearful me? How grand will this kingdom seem in comparison to the world's solution of do it yourself and succeed? But knowing that this kingdom of God is what is ahead of me, I've been coming to know a peace that is beyond logic and understanding. That in the midst of pain and suffering, my hope is elsewhere. That in meaninglessness of this dust particle's life, the vision of God still stands for all nations to be restored to the gospel, and for the promise to be brought back to life with Christ.
As think about the start of this next school year, and the end of my time in Israel, these are the thoughts that fil my head. Maranatha. Come soon Jesus.