It's within!

"Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, 'The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, "Look, here it is!" or "There it is!" For in fact, the Kingdom of God is among you.'"

(Luke 17:20-21)

We're at another critical point in our history as a nation. We're entering week 3 of the nationwide (nay, global!) protesting after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a few Minneapolis police officers. It has opened the floodgates of outrage over the senseless deaths of minorities from police brutality, and (re)exposed the systemic racism that plagues our country - far beyond the police force. Every area of society (including the Church!) must deal with the racism and indifference that many have against persons of color.

In Jesus' day, people looked to the coming of "The Kingdom of God," when the Divine would come in power and "right the wrongs," bring about justice & peace, and usher in the way God intended for this world to be. One day the religious leaders asked him about this specific point. Jesus' reply probably surprised them. When God's Kingdom comes, he said, you won't find any visible signs. It won't be the overthrow of a government (which is what Israel was hoping for, due to the Roman occupation of their nation)... or a certain number of weeks of protesting injustice... or earthquakes... or a global financial crisis... or ANYTHING you can visibly see, says Jesus. Instead, "the Kingdom of God is among you" (or, literally, "within you"), he said.

As I read this passage, my heart resonated. It starts with us. With EACH of us! Internally. Changing ourselves. Examining how our thoughts, beliefs, and actions have contributed to keeping this world not how God intended. WE HAVE TO BE THE CHANGE. It's not enough to simply say, "But I'm not racist!" We have to root out anything among (within!) us that is not of God.

So, come Holy Spirit! Blow away the chaff of my life that is not of you. Burn away the dross... the impurities... that get in the way of how you created me. Cleanse, forgive, heal, and make new those parts of me that do not reflect the glory of your Kingdom. May your Kingdom come FIRST IN ME... because I seem too eager to point out all the other places in this world that I don't see it.