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Constructing the kingdom
Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 14, 2017
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. – From 1 Peter 2
Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” – From John 14
In her talk at a small group leaders’ conference, Melissa Sandel talked about Jesus’ passion for what he called the “kingdom.” She thinks the kingdom comes whenever “heaven touches earth.”
Melissa shared many examples of the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18), when people allow God to use them in constructing his kingdom here. As I listened to story after story I felt God’s inexorable rhythm, setting stone upon stone, building us up, filling us with hope, taking us home.
God has been and will always be about creation. He made the heavens and the earth. He makes us into a “holy priesthood,” blesses us to be a blessing to others, and builds his kingdom on earth through us. He is preparing a place for us to be with him.
In a sense this takes what we call “time.” But just as truly, it has always been. “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever” (Psalm 33:11). In my physical life I wait, unable to see clearly except a step or two in front of me. But God is not waiting. He sees it all. What a gift that he sees fit to let me know a bit of what he sees.
The question is: do I believe my own eyes as He gives me this momentary sight? Or rather, do I close my eyes too quickly because I’m busy sweating the small stuff, worrying about the next stitch in the tapestry of my life? Afraid I might get ripped off, afraid I’m missing something, so tempted in my fear and impatience to take over and turn away from God-who-made-me. He was just right here! Has he disappeared? Has he maybe gone on vacation? Does he love me really? Maybe I just made up that moment I thought he was with me.
God gives me time to live in. My little seed sprouts and I am born, I grow, I become mature and bear fruit, spread new seeds, and finally in time my body dies and falls away. This is hard on me. I might even panic, listening to Time’s clock ticking away. That deadly rhythm brings me to my knees, tempts me toward despair, taunts me with meaninglessness, pushes me to work harder, sleep less and crave success.
In this life ruled by God’s eternity beyond my own experience of Time, I learn (although with glacial slowness) to measure my faith by the way I wait, the way I pray, the way I look only to God and not to success or failure.
The glimpses God gives me of His Time, His Kingdom, and His Plan are all I have to show me the way through the dark, wrinkled maze of my own experience.
I wasn’t present at the dawn of time. God was.
I don’t see clearly. God sees.
I don’t know what is coming. God knows.
The plans of the Lord stand firm forever.
Peter calls us “living stones,” Father, for you to shape and straighten and use. Let me spill over and shout with joy and gladness as I feel your hands around me, lifting me up, setting me in place. I don’t always feel your hands even though they’re there. But I do believe. Help my unbelief. Keep me from fear while I re-awaken to your touch. Please, Lord, teach me every day to say, “You … make … me.”
 http://www.davesandel.net/category/lent-easter-devotions-2017/
http://www.christiancounselingservice.com/archived_devotions.php?article_id=1613
