Longing for the coming of the Kingdom of God. It sounds like a very abstract concept. And it sometimes seems disconnected from the daily pressures and activities of life. But in contrast to thinking about daily necessities, Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) What would it mean to seek God’s kingdom?
Some people have described it as longing for people to live according to God’s perfect direction. That is, to long for a situation where people would live wisely, with self control, focusing on the good of others. In effect, it is the desire for things to be like they were in the Garden of Eden. When you see someone whose life is going down a bad path, it is easy to see how they need to have a life more like that, one that follows God’s good design.
As Pastor Tim’s brother David Andersen shared on Sunday, we long for God’s will to be done, for a flood of people to recognize the need to adopt God’s ways rather than their own, for a sense of renewal as we reorient our thinking to that which is true and right.
That’s something we can pursue each day, no matter what else happens. We can pray even now, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
