In every Christian’s heart there is a cross and a throne, and the Christian is on the throne till he puts himself on the cross; if he refuses the cross, he remains on the throne. Perhaps this is at the bottom of the backsliding and worldliness among gospel believers today. We want to be saved, but we insist that Christ do all the dying. No cross for us, no dethronement, no dying. We remain king within the little kingdom of Mansoul and wear our tinsel crown with all the pride of a Caesar; but we doom ourselves to shadows and weakness and spiritual sterility.
~A. W. Tozer (1897-1963)
Oh beloved, it is true, and it is very Good News. The Kingdom of G_d is real. His work in this world and in our lives is this true work of His Grace. He is taking the worst in us (us) and killing it to make it new in Him. Oh, it may seem that the world is in decay – and it in some ways is – but really it is but the forum in which His true power is shown.
The dictator who would use people as chattel and steal their money that his own belly might be full, and his putrid bed never empty, sticks his head up out of a turret for one second and loses it. For the One who loves and is Justice does not allow untruth to actually foster. It is allowed for but a breath of a moment that we might be reminded what True Power and Authority is.
The drinker who wishes to make all the pain disappear from his own life through the introduction of ethanol finds that there is in fact another Spirit much more willing and infinitely more able to help him through the morass. And one day the drunk is forced to take his last drink and finally find the Peace he had been seeking (on his own) for so long.
The country so full of poverty and want is Lit bright with the True Sign of Who holds it together and brings it life and hope and continued peace and growth. The broken down neighborhoods lose their chaos as little churches and bigger cathedrals act as anchor tenants – bringing much deeper cohesion than some silly name brand department store.
The woman who has lost both of her children, who can barely function in these four dimensions, knows – really knows – that everything will be OK one day.
The children alone in this world, who hurt, who cry, who hunger, who try to meet their own needs – but know not at all how to do it – are guaranteed that one day they will indeed be warm, well-fed, and living in the near Presence of their Creator. For the Kingdom is theirs to inhabit and administer one day.
The true believer and laborer in the fields white unto harvest sometimes aches with tiredness. There seems to be (on certain days) a vast disconnect between his calling and the circumstances of his life. It seems to him that the pain of his life and leadership are unnecessary. Yet the Spirit who first called him reminds him that it is not (and never has been) about Him – and that suffering is the only guaranteed path to the actual Joy (read strength of G_d) needed to Live the impossible life of a disciple of Jesus; he is reminded to pull-up his big-boy pants and get back to work, and given a vast portion of Love and Assurance and Comfort along with the admonition. And so, off goes the worker again – singing in the fields.
The world that works so hard to distract us from the very Person and work of G_d in this life, often forgets its lines when things go terribly wrong. Even the atheist seems very ready to pray when all supposed hope is lost.
The man who would live his own life, has that life taken away (at least all the trappings of it) that he might find his own attempts to be miserable failure. G_d commits hyper-violence against any attempts the man makes to find a solution on his own – and in coming to the end of any options, the onslaught of the G_d who is the King implied by the word Kingdom, finally takes up residence in the position He rightfully owns anyway: the throne of a man’s life.
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.
~ paul, the Least of The Apostles, in Romans 14
Can we see it?
G_d is in control. He is able. He is working. His Kingdom is rolling out across the world. The circumstances in this world will certainly get worse before they get fully healed, but the time of the sickness will be incredibly short compared to the everlasting season of health we will have in Him. We are almost home beloved. Trust Him to see us through to that day.
Adam was created to be the friend and companion of God; he was to have dominion over all the life in the air and earth and sea, but one thing he was not to have dominion over, and that was himself.
~Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)
