The Kingdom of Who???
A funny thought has been going through my head the last few days.
Who’s kingdom am I building today?
It is an interesting, complex and challenging thought.
Am I building my kingdom, or God’s kingdom? Am I doing things for my glory, or His?
What am I here for? What am I doing, on this earth, today? What has God called me to do?
God has given us all common grace to enjoy our lives on this planet that He made. He instituted life, He instituted marriage, He brought into the world all of the good things we enjoy. So I am not saying we should all suddenly take a vow of poverty and fly off to a slum in India (though certainly some of us need to be there!).
During our days we have many things to take our time and focus. Our jobs (for those that won’t work shouldn’t eat – 2 Thes 3:10). Our family, especially those of us who are married, and even more so those of us with children. Our community, our churches. Let’s not forget our personal time with our God, that should be a daily priority for us all!
Yes, there is a lot for us to focus on, and we aren’t all called to go today to another land to preach the gospel and help the poor. But we also need to be honest – I am sure less go than are called. No, we are not all called to go (though we are all called to ‘go’ somewhere, just not all to a foreign land), but not all who are called do go – whether the call is to India or the house next door…
I am sure there have been thousands of times in my life that I was not where God would want me to be. He knew I would be there (because God knows everything), but that doesn’t mean He approved of it! More and more I am thinking of these things on a daily, even an hourly basis.
So today, right now, am I building the Kingdom of God, or the kingdom of Drewe?
Today, are you building the Kingdom of God, or are you too busy with your own affairs to worry about that today?
Matthew 10:37-39 (ESV)
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
That is a tough, tough verse. But what am I seeking? To find my life, so that I may lose it? Or to lose my life, in the service of Jesus, who is both God and my Savior, that for His sake I will find it.
Something to think about…
(Photo: flickr/meanest indian)
It can be a subtle divide as to whose kingdom we are building. Often we think we can be doing something for Jesus, only to discover its for us. Yet, at the same time, this difficulty / subtlety is compounded by the very gifting’s, talents and callings upon our life, where by our motivations are spurred on by these God given manifestations. I think true submissive love is the key.
Amen! “I think true submissive love is the key.”
That is it, because we simply in our fallen state know often enough what is right and wrong – that is the complexity of the whole thing…