Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

What is one of the greatest gifts you have ever been given in life? Was it a childhood Christmas or birthday gift? What was it?

I think one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given, monetarily, was the gift of a house at a discount from my older brother, John and his wife, Jennie. My wife, Cherish, and I were newlyweds, and they not only sold the house to us at a discount, but co-signed on the loan for us. It was a pretty amazing gift, and it has been the home we have raised our five children in over the past 22 years.

When I think of non-monetary gifts, I think of the gifts of service and caring for others my late mother taught me about. She was a tenacious lover and server of people. She did this when it was easy, and she did it when it was incredibly hard. It seemed she never stopped loving and serving others, even until the end of her earthly days.

God loves to give us great gifts! He is THE GIVER of all good things. “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭8‬-‭9‬) And he has given us a great gift referenced here: The Kingdom.

Many would point to The Kingdom and say its meaning is the place we will go when we get to heaven, or the Kingdom of God. It is a far off and future place given to us in the future as a reward. And they would be partially correct. But this has so much more meaning than that. Look at this passage in ‭‭Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬-‭15‬: “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’”

Now the kingdom of God was at hand when Jesus was alive in human form and walked the earth. But what does that mean for today? “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has RECONCILED YOU by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY.” (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭21‬-‭23‬a, ‭27‬, emphasis mine)

So the kingdom of God arrived on earth when Jesus came in human form, and it stayed here as Jesus Christ now resides in the hearts of his true believers. What is the incredible mystery that is worth sacrificing it all in this life? The kingdom of God, which is Christ in me and Christ in you. And this is the hope we seek glory in!

Lord, you are sovereign of my life, this world, and all of eternity! You reign! May I choose to participate in your kingdom today. May I actively seek you and your heart and walk in your kingdom ways, by the power of your Holy Spirit! May the Kingdom of God arise and fill us with the good things God has designed for us to experience and participate in.