Philip Yancey in “The Jesus I never knew” writes;
“Sheep among wolves, a tiny seed in a garden, yeast in bread dough, salt in meat: Jesus’ own metaphors of the kingdom describe a kind of a “secret force” that works from within. He said nothing of a triumphant church, sharing power with the authorities. The kingdom of God appears to work best as a minority movement, in opposition to the kingdom of the world. When it grows beyond that, the kingdom subtly changes in nature.”
He carries on to say;
On another occasion, Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come. He replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say ‘Here it is’ or ‘There it is’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”
Clearly, the kingdom of God operates by a different set of rules from any earthly kingdom’s. God’s kingdom has no geographical borders, no capital city, no parliament building, no royal trappings that you can see. It’s followers live right among their enemies, not separated from them by a border fence or wall. It lives, and grows, on the inside of human beings.”
Just this last week, I experienced the kingdom of God in my own life. It was a very subtle thing, but enough to notice, enough to make me realise that something had changed. I was not trapped by the same old selfishness that had reigned in the past. I was free of the old behaviour, and I felt free. How did this ‘experience of the kingdom’ come about? Did I read my Bible more than usual? Did I pray more than usual? No. I simply trusted that God is changing me like he said he would. It was a small victory in the war against sin in my life, and God won it. Not me.
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Nick, I experience the Kindom of God in my own life continually by: the still small voice that breaks through the doubts in times of trial, by the refusal to join in the dog eat dog world because God has told me of something better, by listening to the birds during the dawn chorus and thinking how wonderful and creative my God is, by recognising that God is always in control and that He has a plan for me which gives me peace beyond understanding.......I could go on for ever at just how incredibly blessed I am.
ReplyDeleteGod is continually changing me I don't always get it right in fact there are times when I make a complete hash of it but God has promised me that I kept by the power of His grace and He will lead me home.
And remember Church is not a building made with hands but with people that have been saved and are being changed and made fit for heaven in it's fulness
May the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and always brother.
How exciting to get such a really great comment. Thankyou - Who are you, 3D Hangout?! I can't work it out through the wording :)
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