The Kingdom Among Us

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, "The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.' For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you."

This passage is key to our understanding the Kingdom of God.  It’s not when we die and “go to heaven.”  Where is heaven?  Why do we wait for our entrance to that domain, assuming it is even a place.  We suspect not.   It’s otherworldly and indescribable.   We can only use metaphors.

With a universe having billions of galaxies each having billions of stars with unfathomable distances between them all, God’s dwelling place can only be a mystery or properly considered as everywhere and at every time.  We can only imagine.

What’s most important is Jesus’ depiction – we cannot observe the Kingdom “here or there.”  It is among us.   It is where love is given and received.   It is where the fallen are lifted high by passersby and given something to eat.  It is where respect is shown and truth is commonplace – not lies. 

The Kingdom of God is where beauty reigns and the ugliness of fear and hate is absent.  The Kingdom is among us when we let it come. 

Deacon David Pierce