14 After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, 15 saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”
Reflection
I was excited to see this text show up in our devotional readings this week. These are verses that have grounded me in this season as I’ve come back from renewal leave over the summer. And so, I receive them today as a God-moment and a refreshing reminder, even three months later, to place them at the forefront of my mind.
In the story, Jesus has just spent forty days in the wilderness – in prayer, but also temptation. While I bet it was nice to get away, if my own time away taught me anything, it’s that you can remove yourself from your normal routines for as long as you want, and yet, the worries of the world will still wrestle for your attention. Most likely, it probably wasn’t the easiest forty days. Then, Jesus returns, and he learns that his friend John is in prison for causing a spiritual ruckus among the masses. Things aren’t looking all that promising at the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Yet, the first thing he does upon his return is to proclaim Good News. Apparently, even in less-than-ideal circumstances, Jesus chooses to believe – and maybe is even convinced that the Kingdom of God is alive and at hand, doing something new and good for the sake of the world.
Sometimes it is hard to trust that God is doing something in the circumstances in our lives– especially in seasons when bad things are happening, or when people are disappointing, or when the circumstances of the world feel far less than ideal. In fact, it’s so hard to trust in God’s action that often instead, we take our own. We resort to control, avoidance, or lashing out in our own self-righteous indignation instead. But in the Bible, these difficult seasons are precisely when the Kingdom of God comes near; when God chooses to show up in human likeness and makes the way for healing, second chances, compassion, and justice. We just have to train our eyes to see where. Because just like Jesus’ disciples came to learn, after they were called to follow in the very next verses, God doesn’t always show up in the ways we expect.
Things don’t have to be ideal to trust that God is on the move – in the world, in our workplace, our family, our church, or even in our own heart. As it happens, the “non-ideal spaces” are God’s specialty. And truth be told, every time I’ve ever had to take a step of faith in my own life, I’ve found that God not only met me there – but was up ahead waiting and preparing new life for me.
by Kate Monahan
For Pondering and Prayer
Ask yourself: What is one situation in my life that I wish were different?
Then bring it to God in prayer and ask that you might see how God is showing up in your life in, around, and perhaps, despite that situation. Write down anything that comes to mind about where you are seeing God.
Then ask yourself: What is one tangible thing I can do every day to remind myself that I can trust God is here?
Prayer:
God, since you don’t wait for ideal circumstances to show up –
Come.
Let me see your Kingdom come today
in ways big and small.
Train my eyes in this season,
Away from the chaos and distraction –
So that I might see more
More Love
More Light
More New Life
Everywhere I go.
Amen.
