Kingdom Thoughts

Some thoughts on living in the Kingdom of God (Harnack would be proud, Schweitzer would be pissed)

I look outside from my college dorm room and I see a beautiful campus, huge trees, buildings made of limestone, gardens, and even beautiful people. This is my college, St. Olaf, in Northfield, MN. It’s really an amazing place, and very often I don’t take the time to realize or appreciate it.

But, we don’t need a beautiful place or an incredible moment to remind us of how lucky we really are. I came across a quote in my studying of theology the other day that really speaks to this:

“a man praying that this cup might pass from him, but submitting his will to God's, no matter what the consequences; that prayer answered not with legions of angels to rescue him but with lonely suffering on a cross, culminating in a cry of despair before the moment of death-- and then a resurrection of new life, new faith, new hope, new love, in a new community born after his death” – Gordon D. Kaufman

Jesus showed us what it means to live life perfectly. He didn’t want to go to the cross, he prayed fervently in Gethsemane for “this cup to pass”. But he knew God’s will was more important, he knew that his death on the cross was necessary. He knew that we would need forgiveness, reassurance, and love. He knew that his death and resurrection would change everything.

And so when you look around and find yourself in a time of struggle, a time when the world around you doesn’t look that beautiful remember that you are living in the Kingdom of God, a kingdom that Jesus brought to us through his death, a kingdom of “new life, new faith, new hope, new love” and a “new community”.

There is certainly a great deal of comfort in seeing the world as the Kingdom of God. So, get out there and enjoy it.

Lord, help me to appreciate your Kingdom today.

Amen