Jesus said in reply,
"The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.'
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you."
When we look at the world we often miss the Kingdom already present among us. We expect something different, just as the Jews in the days of Jesus expected a military Kingdom. We too expect a Kingdom that is of this world in one form or another and miss the key fact: "the Kingdom of God is among you."
We read that the "commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off." It is rather "very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it" (see Deuteronomy 30:11 and 14). Jesus himself is the word and he is with us always, even unto the end of the age (see Matthew 28:20).
Because Jesus himself is the Kingdom and because he is so near we need not run off looking for substitutes.
There will be those who will say to you,
'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.'
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
The day is indeed coming when the Son of Man will be even more visible just as lightning lights up the sky from one end to the other. But we do not need to wait for that day to live in the Kingdom of God. Jesus is here. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords and his kingdom rules over all.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
This perspective should enliven our worship. If we are truly entering into the presence of the King let us give our hearts the time they need to recognize the royalty of the One into whose presence we are so privileged to come.
The Kingdom of God changes everything. It changes how we see and relate to one another.
Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while,
that you might have him back forever,
no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother,
beloved especially to me, but even more so to you,
as a man and in the Lord.
So let us realize today that God is King. Because that is true, let us learn to seek first the Kingdom, knowing it is in our midst.
Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord.
Refresh my heart in Christ.
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