“For: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephens University, Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.”
The theological phrase the “Kingdom of God” has been pushed out of its original shape in my mind because of my readings this week. My interest was especially piqued by Jesus’ words “The Kingdom of God is at hand” that N.T. Wright speaks of in Simply Christian, p.85. I had always considered these words as meaning God’s Kingdom is nearly here, it is yet to come. We may see glimpses but it is a weakened version at times of what will one day be. Yet, as I read the text, I felt that perhaps the meaning was much deeper than this. If something is at hand, it is there, ready to be touched, tapped into, and used. I don’t often live in this reality. I pray for God’s Kingdom to come but it is here already in part and in power. I want to live in that truth more and more and tap into what God has brought to us here and now in his son Jesus.
The theological idea I believe has the most importance for the next 10-20 years is that of God as King. I find it difficult to behave as a subject under the reign of a sovereign king – I know for myself, I enjoy sitting on the throne of my own life, having total control. As I read the material, I was again challenged to ask the deep question “if God is my King, what does that look like for me?”
I am challenged most by the notion of God as King. I don’t struggle so much with knowing God saved me and living out of this truth. Yet to say He is King means to surrender to His sovereign control over all things, to defer to His judgement, to worship Him, to speak my allegiance and live out of that allegiance in all things. Can I do that? Do I truly understand what it means to do that?
I remember as a child at school having to recite the following at weekly school assemblies:
“I love God and my country, I honour the flag, I serve the Queen and cheerfully obey my parents, teachers and the law.”
No longer are these words spoken at school. Our focus on allegiance on God and on a Queen/King has dissipated. What does allegiance to God as my King look like – would it be obvious to others that I serve a risen King who came to save all of humanity?
I am always challenged, each time I engage in the worship experience, whether that be in song or in prayer or in quiet times, to behave as if I could see Jesus. It is the biggest challenge for me – would I behave any differently if Jesus were here in the flesh? Would I pray differently, would I worship differently if the King of my life and the King of this universe were standing before me and I could reach out and touch Him? We would do well to think about this because I know I often attend church and behave as if God is not present.
N.T. Wright. Simply Christian. (London: SPCK, 2006) p. 85.