March 17, 2016
But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Luke 12, verses 31 and 32 (NIV)
Reading this verse, you may wonder how this verse fits in with our week long look at prayer. Well, you may be right but in a sense, there is a part which can apply to this discipline. The Bible tells us “Ask and you shall receive” which is almost a parallel to “these things will be given to you. . .” However, I want to take a break from discussing prayer to something different and return to the former tomorrow.
Today is St. Patrick’s Day. I know we are not all Irish, but it has been said there is a little bit of Irish in all of us. Ireland is a country in which Christians are split between Protestants and Catholics. Thank goodness, their strife is over. However, I do not want to make today’s devotion a history lesson but since we celebrate, in a sense, another nation’s holiday, I want to dwell a few minutes on another country, nation or better yet, the Kingdom of God.
First, we must know this particular kingdom is not of this world, but found in the hearts of Jesus’ followers. This is emphasized in Luke 17:21. There is also the kingdom of heaven which is not a geographical location but where our Lord reigns and we share with Him the eternal life.
Every Sunday, we recite the Lord’s Prayer. Within the content, there is the phrase “Thy kingdom come.” This refers to God’s spiritual reign. This was stated within the covenant made with Abraham (Luke 13:28) and will be complete when all the world’s evil is destroyed and the new heaven and earth are formed as noted in the last chapter of Revelation.
An important point to remember is that even as we live within His earthly kingdom, it does not mean we will eventually pass and reside in the Lord’s heavenly kingdom. This will be done when our LORD comes, “who is infinitely more qualified than we are.”
I am proud to be Irish even though my last name is German. However, I am even happier to belong to God’s Kingdom. Whatever your background is, make sure most of your being is connected to the best kingdom on Earth.
Prayer: Make us thankful, Lord, that we are residents of your Kingdom today and forever more. Amen
Jeff Spang