Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Seeing the Kingdom of God

I took the title from John 3.

There was this fellow, Nicodemus, a Pharisee, who came to Jesus at night. Nicodemus declares to Jesus that "we know you are a teacher who has come from God."

Jesus replies "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

Mostly it is the "born again" part that catches everyone's attention. It surely caught Nicodemus's. So there's been a lot of stuff written about being "born again."

But this time in my reading I have been so caught up in the idea of "seeing the Kingdom of God" and how that relates to my own life.

There was a time when I could not see the Kingdom of God. It wasn't that I would not see the Kingdom although that was true, too. But I simply could not see it. It just simply was not there.

Then something happened to me that I really cannot explain or even describe.

I can say that one moment the reality I perceived had no Kingdom of God. One moment later the only reality that existed was the Kingdom of God.

And now I can no more not see that reality anymore than I could see it before.

1 comment:

susie mccoll said...

Mine was not "a single moment" experience. Mine was more gradual. I'm not even sure when it happened, I just know it did. The more I read God's Word, the more I saw (and continue seeing) the Kingdom of God. The difference is that I grew up knowing all about and believeing the Bible.....but then got away from it as an adult for awhile. Not that I ever didn't believe, just more went down a path of not caring. I think that is what a lot of "christians" do. You know, the "luke-warm" christians that John talks about in Rev. 3:16 - kind of scary when you read it and know how many "christians" are in that category. You have to make the effort everyday to be "in the spirit". As Beth Moore said, "you don't just wake up in the morning spirit-filled". Just like exercise. Or being a good mom/dad or wife/husband. You have to WORK at it. Sorry, didn't mean to ramble on like that.