This audacious statement has been helping me recently to frame some thoughts about God's kingdom work within communities; it appears twice in the Bible, in Psalm 24 it demands awe at God's holiness but in 1 Corinthians 10 it requires engagement with culture for the cause of the Gospel. One image keeps resounding in my mind at the moment, that of the hand of God punching up through dry ground, God is already there, already working. Within the communities that we desire to be transformed God has already staked his claim, from creation until completion the earth is the Lord's and everything in it.
Our response to this is rightly awe, an awareness that hope for salvation does not come from us but only from One, however God's claim on us means that we participate in his ownership of the earth, having recognised our need of God we will 'inherit the earth'. Alongside our awe then goes our engagement.
God speaks an alternative reality to the hopelessness and despair we perceive with our human minds; as we approach our communities we need to believe in that different narrative, the fruit of our faith will be the manifestation of the kingdom in our lives, truth, mercy, love and power. The body of Christ revealing Christ, making him tangible to the people he loves.
3 comments:
All the way to work this morning, God was impressing this scripture one me. When I googled it - your blog came up and I was blessed by it. Through "The Truth Project" from Focus on the Family - He has been speaking to me on His Sovereignty. Not only is He designer, creator and owner - but He is sovereign over all things. Thank you for your word. We have a "community" church that is looking to make a difference in our community - and it's always helpful to understand that He's here already. We just need to "Plug in." God Bless - Susan
Hey Susan, thanks for your comment - its a good reminder to blog more often. My thinking on this is really influenced by my work for a project called Eden, check out the website www.eden-network.org
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