Friday arrived and I have embraced it with gusto. Gusto is a word that isn't used too often anymore but it sure applies to how I feel about this day being Friday. I just sat down with a cup of Door County Strawberry Smoothie Coffee. Gusto!
Luke 17:21 New International Version (NIV)
21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
There are three popular interpretations of Jesus’ words in Luke 17:21 that the kingdom of God is within you (or among you): 1) the kingdom of God is essentially inward, within man’s heart; 2) the kingdom is within your reach if you make the right choices; and 3) the kingdom of God is in your midst in the person and presence of Jesus. The best of these interpretations, it seems, is the third: Jesus was inaugurating the kingdom as He changed the hearts of men, one at a time.
Those saved by their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior have heaven waiting for them, there is no doubt. But the Kingdom of God is spiritual and it reigns in the hearts of those saved by grace. We can't see it but we experience it in those hearts changed by an encounter with Jesus.
Luke 10:17-24
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
22 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”
Jesus sent out the 72 on the first mission trip to declare His Gospel message and when they returned they were ecstatic with what they saw and what had happened.
We forget that the Kingdom of God is all around us and we take for granted our prayer time, and our intimate walk with God. We need to embrace the Kingdom daily. Heaven is heaven and it is a real place. But we can experience the Kingdom now by embracing the reality of it and by seeking God's will daily.
There is so much we miss out on experiencing because we forget to embrace God and His closeness every moment of every day.
Food for thought!
Marty
No comments:
Post a Comment