Readings for today: Psalms 97-99
God’s Kingdom is not of this world. It is in the world but not of the world. It is coming into the world but not here yet. It is growing like a mustard seed but not yet in full bloom. This doesn’t mean the world is worthless. It doesn’t make what happens in this world meaningless. God loves this world. He loves it so much He gave His only Son to save the world. And He promises His Son will one day return in glory to reign and rule over this world so what we do here matters. How we engage here matters. How we live our lives here matters. But we can’t get it twisted. It is not our job to save the world. It is not our task to rescue the world. It is not within our power to bring the Kingdom of God to earth. Our job is to serve as a witness. A living witness in this world of the world to come. We are to serve as living, breathing witnesses that life can and will be different once the world changes. What do witnesses do? They testify to what they have seen, what they have known, what they have heard, what they have experienced. They proclaim the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And they do it in love. Do it because they care for the same things God cares about, lost people in a lost world.
The Psalms we read today serve as great reminders to us of our role in God’s Kingdom. The Psalmist is a witness. He is simply bearing witness to the glory of God as it is revealed. God is the primary actor on the world’s stage. God is the primary mover in world history. God is the primary driver of world events. He is the one who establishes righteousness and justice as the foundation of His throne. He is the one who burns up His foes on every side. He is the one who rescues His people from the power of the wicked. He is the one who protects the lives of His faithful ones. He is the one who comes to judge the earth. Our job is simply to lift our hands and voices in praise. Our job is to sing a new song, the song of the redeemed. Our job is to be glad and live our lives with gratitude and thankfulness before Him. Our job is to bow in worship before His throne.
It’s so easy to try to take matters into our own hands. It’s so tempting to see ourselves as the heroes in God’s story. It’s so tempting to self-promote and try to take center stage. But that spot is reserved for Jesus. No one else can take on that role. Even when we try, we turn into a tyrant. We simply cannot be trusted with that much power and authority. At the same time, it’s equally tempting to withdraw. It’s equally tempting to retreat. It’s equally tempting to seek an escape from all that’s wrong in the world. Hide in our holy huddles. Seek to blend in. This too is an abdication. A dereliction of duty. A failure to take the witness stand. As Christians, our citizenship has been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. From the kingdoms of this earth to the Kingdom of heaven. We speak as aliens and strangers. And though we love this world, though we advocate for this world, though we want what’s best for this world, it is not our home.
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Samuel 24, 1 Chronicles 21-22, Psalms 30