I’m thankful for the Kingdom of God!
If this world and its squabbling kingdoms were all that there is, how pitiful an outlook we would have. These kingdoms rise and fall. History is littered with powerful kingdoms, empires even, that were cast aside by greater or at least different ones. Museums are filled with relics of their once great splendor and glory, but I think one of my church kiddos from many years ago summed their glory up well when we were looking at some pictures of the ruins of the once great city of Ephesus: they’re ruined (they pronounced it rurnt, ha)!
The writer of Hebrews rightly tells us that we should be “grateful”, and we should. That word translated “grateful” in the ESV is better translated in the KJV as “have grace” because it is a pair of words that are related to the practice of saying grace before a meal, praying to say thanks and give credit to God for providing the food that is about to be eaten.
We are to say grace, praying and giving thanks to God for giving us part in His Kingdom and for His power in saving us and making us right before Him (Colossians 1:12-14, 2 Corinthians 5:21).
We are to say grace, coming before God’s throne in reverence and awe as King of kings and Lord of lords, presiding over His Kingdom eternally and toppling those that are shaken, sifted, and cast away like chaff from wheat (Psalm 2:10-11, Matthew 3:12).
We are to say grace, thankful to God for His strength and might — His consuming fire burning through everything, eventually leaving only His Kingdom (Deuteronomy 4:24, Daniel 7:13-14).
We are to say grace because this great God and king humbled Himself to leave His throne and become flesh for us that we might be saved and enter into His Kingdom (John 1:14, Philippians 2:6-8, 1 Timothy 1:15).
Lord, thank you for being a consuming fire and for that fire purifying those you save rather than burning us up as our sin warrants. Thank you for shaking the lesser kingdoms of this world and reminding us You are God and we are not. Thank you for letting us worship and praise You. I want to say “thank You” like we do over the food, our bodies for Your Kingdom. Amen.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
Just Keith Harris 