Lent 2020 day 3

’Nor will people say, “Here it is,” or “There it is,” because the kingdom of God is in your midst.’ (Luke 17:21)

Ian Parkinson writes:

“How does God’s rule come about on Earth? The Pharisees of Jesus’ day would have insisted this was a matter for God to determine. Our place was to wait passively for it to happen. The best we could do was to look out for signs of its arrival.

Jesus presented things differently. He brought God’s presence, power and authority into human affairs in a dynamic way, so all that is hostile to the thriving of creation is ultimately overcome.

However, by describing the kingdom as ‘in your midst’, Jesus suggests we have a part to play. The phrase he uses might be better translated ‘within your grasp’.

As we accept God’s invitation to be his hands and feet, we help to bring about the healing of his creation, and his rule is made manifest.”