Cold Stone 'Gotta Have It'

It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom!  Luke 12:32

Wow!  What a statement!  What an affirmation to the world of God’s desires.  Kids – you got the kingdom.  Fellow children of God – you got the kingdom.  People of the entire cosmos – you got the kingdom.  The advertising slogan “Got Milk?” has nothing up on this emphatic Gospel statement, “Got Kingdom?”  To which we can reply, “YES, yes indeed!”

Of course one can wonder, why we don’t see more of that kingdom?  I have mused over this many times and the feeling of both blessing and bane are there.  I see it, feel it, can touch it, yearn for more of it – for the kingdom of God is here – its ours for the taking.  And yet, so much pain, frustration, suffering, war, famine, brokenness, emptiness – it causes us to ask repeatedly, “where is your kingdom O Lord?” 

This much is true, the kingdom is here and yet it is so far away.  This is not God’s design, but ours.  We want it and yet we do not.  We embrace it and yet cast it off.  We receive the gift and trash the gift.  We desire more of God and yet run from God.  We “Got Kingdom” and we don’t.  This is our doing, not God’s doing.

In a conversation this last week I shared how I experience life in the days we are living.  I shared the push and pull of it all.  In trying to communicate this Luke text I shared this statement, “The kingdom of God, when embraced, in Cold Stone ice cream terms (my favorite being cake batter with cookie dough and fudge), is not just I like it, or I love it, but rather, I gotta have it.”  IT, the Kingdom of God is essential for the living of these days – nothing else will do!

This is why Jesus says “be ready!”  The kingdom of God is now, and it is eternal.  Sadly, we often find ourselves living in a state of resignation (this is just what we do – the doldrums – the tasks – the work – the routine – this is just the way things are and will always be) rather than a state of expectancy (expecting God to come through – expecting that God can use us for more than we already know or do – that God is up to something and we watch and then jump in when we see it happening) – and it makes all the difference in the world in terms of how we engage things.  To be resigned is to be on your heels – to live expectant is to be on your toes – and Jesus would rather we be ready to dive forward into the kingdom rather than to tip over backwards and take a seat in resignation. 

It is the Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom!  It’s yours for the taking! 

Expect it – seize it – and live!

On the discipleship road with you,

Pastor Chad