The Kingdom of Heaven

Good Wednesday morning, my friends.

What exactly is "the Kingdom of Heaven"?  Is it what we will experience in the next life?  Or is it here, now, all around us?

A brand of premium sunglasses uses a tag line that says "it's not seeing different things; it's seeing the same thing differently."  John Fisher wrote about this yesterday on his blog.  He said, in part:

 

That signature statement (the tag line show above) alone is loaded with applicable truth for the real world. For instance, Jesus was always talking about the kingdom of heaven, but then when he explained it, it wasn't about heaven at all, it was about what's going on here. It wasn't about a different place; it was about a different way of seeing this place. The kingdom of heaven is about a new way of looking at the kingdom of earth. It's about seeing losers as winners, about seeing the last as the first, about seeing the poor and the beggars as the most blessed; it's about seeing God's will done on earth as it is in heaven because you can, in fact, see differently.

 

We need to cultivate this ability. We need to train ourselves to see and value things as Jesus values them. We need to meditate on his teaching and let it shape how we think, what we value, and what we act on. 

So, are we wearing the right glasses when we view the world around us?  Do we see losers as winners?  Last as first?

The last line of the 23rd Psalm says "I shall dwell in the house of the LORD, forever!".  Well "forever" beings now.  We are in "forever".  Our eternity has begun!  Look through those lenses at the world, and people, around you.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Bruce

Father, we thank you, again, for your mercy towards us. 

In thankfulness may we honour you, not only with our lips, but in our lives. 

Hasten the day when your kingdom comes 

in every part of our own lives, 

in our homes, 

our churches, 

cities and 

throughout your lovely, but rebellious world, 

for the glory of your great and holy name.

(http://www.lords-prayer.co.uk/yourkingdom.html)

Bruce MacPherson  macpherson@celtic.ca / Blog: The Celtic Christian / Home: 613.489.4174 Cell: 613.720.0821 You are receiving this email because you have requested it or I felt you would be interested in this material. If you would like to be removed from this email list, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above email address.  Likewise, if you know of someone else who you believe would appreciate receiving these messages, please let me know.