Finding the Kingdom of God

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After I walked into a small church house outside Atlanta, Georgia, a few members greeted me with handshakes and smiles. When a man took his place behind the podium, the people took their seats in a pew. After a few hymns were song, my husband took his place to preach.

With a fussy baby in my arms, I went to stand in the back of the auditorium. Several attendees were dozing off. Some were chatting with a neighbor. A few listened attentively.

The overwhelming realization I had at that moment, “This is not the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophesy.”

Sleepy. Unenthused. Passive.

The church of Thessalonica was none of those. Their opposition said of them, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too” (Acts 17:6).

The prophesy of a Kingdom that will not be destroyed resulted in a movement that was shaking down the religious world, upending the status quo and releasing captives of sin, demons and disease.

Was that the movement I was part of? How do I find this Kingdom? What does it look like?

Jesus said it was coming soon.

I promise you some of those standing here will not die before they see the Son of Man coming with his kingdom. Matthew 16:28

Jesus said it isn’t visible.

And when some of the Pharisees asked Yeshua, “When is the Kingdom of God coming”, he answered and he said to them, “The Kingdom of God does not come with what is observed.” Luke 17:20

The kingdom of God isn’t just about heaven, or a place, or the future. It’s here and everywhere, right now.

Eric Barreto: Princeton Theological Seminary

It is a place of power.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 1 Cor. 4:20

It is a place of transformation.

Mr. Rogers once said, “I am fairly convinced the Kingdom of God is for the broken-hearted.” I’m sure we all come broken but we sure don’t stay that way.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Rom 14:17

In this journey I have learned that the kingdom of God isn’t a church with the right doctrine. It isn’t a system of rules. It isn’t contained in a building. It isn’t a place on a map. It isn’t waiting to come.

It’s here. It’s among us. We engage it every time we love. We enlarge the borders every time we forgive. Every time we carry the cross, speak His name and submit to his will, the impenetrable Kingdom grows stronger and stronger.

One day we will no longer have to see it with weak eyes. One day faith will no longer be required. One day we will see it in full, without the smog of evil clouding our view. One day it will be all we know.

Eternity will complete it.

The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. Rev. 11:15

…[The Kingdom of God] … is within you.
That is, it depends on your own wills
and is in your own power,
whether or not you receive it.
Everyone, that has attained
to justification, by means of faith in Christ
and decorated by every virtue,
is counted worthy,
of the kingdom of heaven.

St. Cyril of Alexandria

That friends is the kingdom I wanted. That is the kingdom I found.