God’s kingdom is for now, not just for later

Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Bern Leckie:

What did I like about today’s passage?

While God continues to warn people who are complacent and relying on their own efforts and resources, I like that in today's reading, God adds details of what he is promising for people who trust in him - a righteous king, just rulers (more than one) and the Spirit which will produce fertility, peace and "confidence forever."

I notice that God is again not just promising rest and good things for those who believe when they die. In chapter 33 verse 6, the promise is for God to be "the sure foundation for your times", which I believe means that we can be confident that God's salvation, wisdom and knowledge will make a noticeable difference to our lives and anyone else we know who may come to trust in God.

But look at how much the world needs to change as God’s kingdom is brought to fruition. In chapter 34, Isaiah’s message becomes addressed to all nations. From this chapter alone, it looks like the world will be overrun with God’s judgment. However, we also know that God’s offer of life through Jesus would extend to everybody, including us.

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

God isn't just interested in spending eternity with us after we've toughed out a miserable life. He wants us to be saving present day lives from the destructive power of sin and rebellion against God. He also knows people very well - including what we think we can rely on when we don't want to engage with him. God unsettles us from self-centred complacency, but he also promises that he will provide for those who recognise and respect him, living righteously as a result.

What am I going to do differently as a result?

This has reached us in a time when we and our neighbours are questioning all our basic assumptions about self reliance. Suddenly the world looks like it can be very different when it needs to be, and not just in bad ways, but in the good which comes from people choosing to help each other practically.

How do we share our faith in God in times like this?

I think it's difficult to persuade people into faith by pointing to abundant provision of stuff - I know lots of people with faith who are struggling with health, stress and finances right now, for example. But I think God's promised salvation, wisdom, knowledge and Spirit do make a difference to how we choose to live under pressure. 

I sometimes take it for granted that people can find out about by faith by seeing it, but last week I had a conversation with a Christian who has known me and seen me volunteer for years and didn't know that I shared their faith. I need to get better at pointing people to God with at least a few words of credit. I wouldn't want people to think I was just a nice person (in truth, without God's grace and provision, I'm not!) I want more people to know that I'm not so much seeking to be nice as to gain all the goodness of God's kingdom which they can share too, not by being more like me but by meeting Jesus.

Who am I going to share this with?

I'm expecting to have plenty of conversations with people about hopes and struggles over the next few weeks. So I want God to guide each of them with whatever is best within relationships.