Reading thru my journal from a year ago, and I came a cross the following:
I just watched Everything is Spiritual by Rob Bell. At the end He said: "The reality of the Kingdom of God is right here.... The Kingdom isn't there, it's here."
To which I say, Mr. Bell, what about your principle of yeah... Both and... You see God created a good world that has gone bad. Good people who have grown old... And in this midst of this perverted reality, in which God still shows up, still loves, and still redeems... In the midst of this "right here"... where He brings His Kingdom "right now"... Well, in the midst of this, He also promises to bring His Kingdom "soon," and very soon. It is the now and the not yet.
The Kingdom Here is meant to create a longing within us for the Kingdom there. When God awakens my heart, He also angsts my heart... He births in it a longing for home... And this longing in it's purest form causes me to make this world a better home for my brothers and sisters.
Interestingly, Sabbath seems to be the link between of the now and not yet. Sabbath Rest is taste of the promised land... The OLD TESTAMENT speaks of a rest not only of time but of space... And this rest of space is a place... a land... a land flowing with Milk and Honey... And this land of rest theme carriers over into the New Testament when the writer of Hebrews declares:
"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." (Hebrews 11:8-10 NAS95S)
O that we might be in awe and wonder of this great, big, wonderful world as Mr. Bell challenges us. May we rest in awe. But may we also wait in angst. May their be a holy hunger in us for Kingdom Come. We are Seventh-day Adventists, a people of rest and a people of angst. A people who work and a people who wait. A people who worship and a people who cry out:
"Come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20 NAS95)
1 comment:
Hi Jim,
In one of my blogs, I wrote the following regarding the definition of sin. I think it fits in well with you and Rob Bell:
Throughout the bible we see examples where if we sin we are separated from God, which should be a punishment worse than death. But do we think of separation from God as worse than death? I don’t think so.
Most Christians today think that being in the perfect presence of God is what Heaven is, and that is what happens after death. Yet the bible shows Yaweh’s desire for us is to be in his presence here on earth. The Kingdom of Heaven (God) is Near (or as the rabbis say, the Kingdom of Heaven is offered). Maybe if we did a better job of helping the "family" desire the presence of God, then they would fear separation (death) and would desire to avoid death by understanding His Torah. Instead of trying to convince believers they need to keep the Torah, maybe the discussion should be how do we make them want the presence of God?
Shalom,
Jeff
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