Thy Kingdom Come

Reference Passage:

Mark 15:42 - 43 (NKJV)

Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

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We’re living in a time when the words ‘politics’ and ‘politician’ are mostly used in a derogatory sense. From the United Nations to the ordinary business office, politics is commonly associated with selfish opportunism. Quite contrary to the status quo, the Biblical reference to a prominent politician called Joseph of Arimathea, is a refreshing account of how politicians can make a difference by faith.  

What set Joseph apart from other public servants of his time was his expectation of the coming Kingdom of God. Once handed power, it is so easy to forget that all forms of human government must be ultimately superseded by the rule of the King of kings. Such amnesia is found even within church hierarchies. We often behave as if our tenure will never end. To keep ourselves “in the picture”, we depend endlessly on the mechanisms of democratic people power. Hence, a Divine call to service and our empowerment by God’s grace are no longer considered priorities, as long as the votes add up to a majority.

Among the primary motivators for the Crucifixion of Christ was, as discerned Pontius Pilate, the self-interest of the religious polity in keeping power. In life such people feel threatened by the knowledge of Christ’s Lordship. In spite of grabbing authority with both hands, it is remarkable that they fail to produce the fruits of power, namely victory and peace. Humans might achieve victory without peace, or peace without victory. Only the King of kings ordained from above is able to bring both simultaneously into our daily experience.   

This eager anticipation blossomed in many hearts during the precious few years of the Lord’s ministry. However, in the gloomy aftermath of the Crucifixion, the memories of spectacular miracles and powerful preaching lost their shine. Wasn’t it easy to conclude that the sufferings of the Cross were a failure on Jesus’ part? Hardly anybody understood that Christ’s kingdom was a different matter altogether. 

On the other hand, Joseph’s convictions didn’t take a beating. For some time, Joseph had been among the secret admirers of Christ. But the time had come to make his stand public even though it probably meant losing popularity at the Council.

What would it feel like to be seen dragging down and ministering to a dead ‘criminal’ especially when you are a familiar face in local politics? Joseph was not overly bothered.  It is surprising to think that such a man would tenderly take down that battered, bloodied body bearing the marks of virulent human hatred, and sacrificially open up his own tomb for the burial. Quite unheard of these days, isn’t it? 

Time was not on Joseph’s side either. It was Sabbath the next day. The barbaric attitude of the soldiers looks least likely to have afforded an act of kindness to a criminal’s remains – it was nature’s bother to do the rest. Historians think that this is probably why few remains of crucified criminals have ever been discovered by archaeological studies. Had it been me, I would have acted next week because today is Friday and tomorrow is the weekend! Going home early on the last weekday is so important!

But Joseph acted in right time before nature did, which was why the body of Christ received a decent burial.   

Hence unveils a new dimension to the Lord’s Prayer that deserves our attention. As Christians worldwide chant “Thy kingdom come”, what do they mean? Have we only a faint hope of Heaven that flees the moment Science declares God is dead? Since God is presumed dead or irrelevant, we are now happily on the throne. Being kings to ourselves, victory and peace elude our personal beings, and our spirituality and practical life bear no relation to each other. 

Joseph’s example demonstrates that genuine faith grows in glow under fire. Hope that strengthens into belief spurs the believer into action. Christ the King desires nothing less than the throne of our hearts. In praying for God’s Kingdom to appear, we are also called to make way for the King in our daily lives, and act with conviction upon His orders. Lets not pass up any preciously scarce opportunity to serve this great King. 

As proved Resurrection Sunday, Jesus Christ the King of hearts, never fails those who wait for Him.

God Alone

Reference Passage:

Psalm 136:3-4 (NIV)

Give thanks to the Lord of lords

His love endures forever.  

to Him who alone does great wonders,
            His love endures forever.

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Solitary confinement is one of the most powerful forms of torture invented by the human mind. Man, being naturally social, simply self-destructs in absolute loneliness. Its the presence of another, or at least the hope of it, that keeps the lamp of the human spirit lighted even though surrounded by struggles on every side. Globally, law-and-order establishments have employed this tool successfully to punish the condemned. In the world of commoners like you and me, its also seen that people sometimes try to isolate those they deem unworthy to fit into their group. The effect is the same - loneliness is painful and leaves the victim drained and helpless.

God has had His share of enemies all through history, who've imagined that categorically sidelining Him or His followers was an effective method to crush the blossoming buds of faith. In the early days of Church history, the higher echelons of the Roman Empire derived barbaric pleasure in murdering Christians. The trend continued for centuries until Emperor Constantine declared his 'allegiance' to Christianity and pronounced the birth of 'Christendom'. In modern times, even governments of self-respecting nations have attempted to wipe out the mention of God's name with fervor. Stories of terror continue to emerge from countries like China and North Korea as attempts are made to strangle the heart cry of the believer in Christ.

However, just as in the past, the Name of Jesus Christ continues to ignite passion in many. Reports testify that massive underground Church movements have developed over the years, on the very ground that drank the sweat, tears and blood of countless sacrificial lambs. Read here the story of Asia Bibi who has been shut up in a Pakistani prison on alleged blasphemy charges. This is not the story of oppressed fanatics in shining armor, making a statement with guns and bombs. We're seeing disciples who're convinced that God in isolation is still a miracle-maker.

More interestingly, many of us who go by the label of faith, have turned our backs on God's cause at critical moments. We've found it too hard to believe His higher call, and accepted that our purpose in life is to live for ourselves taking God's help if necessary. At times, we've experienced a revival marked by energetic enthusiasm. Yet, in no time, we have second thoughts that dismiss the whole thing as an illusion. Befriending the One who gave His very life for love's sake, is still a scary thought. In other words, the Lord is shut up in some solitary corner of our minds that may or may not be visited, depending on the mood of the moment.

Both parties - enemy and disbeliever - once met on Calvary's hill to witness the dying moments of Jesus Christ. The enemy could barely hide his smile of triumph. The disbeliever kept asking, "Why don't You save and prove Yourself?" In His lonely moment, the Saviour answered neither.
Yet, by the third day, Death could no longer hold Him in the grave. Clothed with power, Jesus Christ rose victorious having received the Name that is exalted above every other name. The ancient prophesy was fulfilled again - He had done wonders without anybody's help. This magnificently explains why the foe and the skeptic continues to search for meaning in life without solving their problems.

All that remains for thought is whether we will now switch sides to the minority, and experience this unique Person for a lifetime, although it may mean leaving the comfortable crowds that are headed for the mysterious black hole called Death. 

The Treasury of Solomon : Heaven's Heirs Apparently

Reference Passage:

Proverbs 20:21

An inheritance claimed too soon
   will not be blessed at the end.

Read the whole passage here

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'Trade the corporate ladder for an elevator' reads an advertisement in the job search section of a popular daily newspaper. In one sense, the reader is being told that the way to the top needn't depend on the slow machinery of time. This is a true reflection of our hidden desire to race ahead and reach our targets, though we fail to think what we would do once we get there. Hence, in our haste, we have mistaken the gates of Hell for the portals of Paradise too many times.

Most forms of religion recognise Heaven as the destination of every believer's journey - the eternal  inheritance of the pious. Definitions and guidelines vary from the sensual to the spiritual, but they bear certain common features that deserve serious thought for those who are trying to make it there. Quite interestingly, we perceive the joys of Heaven as the amplified versions of earthly pleasures. When talking of pearly gates and streets of gold, the naive tend to mentally picture some imperial suite at the Hotel Ritz, that would otherwise cost a fortune. For others, Paradise is where all the rules and conventions that long restrained them, suddenly disappear. Hence, what was considered taboo on earth, is readily available for the hallowed saints who managed to maintain their passions on a leash for a lifetime. It doesn't bother anybody that God would have to spectacularly contradict Himself to make this possible.  

A full release from suffering is what many are expecting, although its still vague to them what brought suffering into human existence in the first place. Apparently, poverty would disappear since everything is free. Hunger would cease and hence by our own theories of criminal behaviour, crime would immediately become a non-entity. Most importantly, nobody needs to wake up anymore for work or school after fun weekends. Yipee! Who wouldn't want to go to a Heaven like that? And the faster, the better. Its not very surprisingly then, that in certain belief systems suicide bombing is marketed as a quick shortcut into Paradise. We assume that it makes no difference whether we reach there now or later. 

At this point of our discussion, a troubling question begs our attention. What difference would God's presence or absence make to the Heaven where we're supposedly going? In other words, does it really matter if God hangs around as we step into eternal bliss? We almost make Heaven sound like an amusement park, that was designed to maximise our enjoyment. Now that everything is kept ready for our arrival, we prefer to throw God out of the house and lock the doors.

Our childish notions fail to see that Heaven lives up to its name only in the presence of the Creator and the fullest expression of His mind. For everything else, you have the earth! If its God's home that we're talking about, we must acknowledge that He reserves the right to filter visitors according to His tastes, as do we in our own homes. Wouldn't worldly-wise humans who barge into Heaven, simply repeat their hellish achievements from Planet Earth? A study of God's personality would give us an indication of how far apart our interests are from God's, and our homes from His. But we just don't have any time for this, do we?

Time was never meant to be our enemy, although we've made it one. Those who've discovered the imperfections of human nature know that every venture in life ends in a certain degree of incompleteness. This is why we keep telling ourselves that nobody is perfect. However, its liberating to know that beyond the boundaries of human effort, are the hands of God that bless and fulfil our endeavours in accordance with His Will. But here's the catch that Solomon the wise presents: simply rushing to the finish line will not guarantee a Divine blessing. Both the revelation of God's mind and the preparation of our hearts to follow His guidance, need time. The journey to Heaven will never really finish without these two time-consuming components finding their place in our lives.

I conclude by quoting the late preacher A. W. Tozer: "I have often wished that there were some way to bring modern Christians into a deeper spiritual life painlessly by short easy lessons; but such wishes are vain. No shortcut exists! God has not bowed to our nervous haste nor embraced the methods of our machine age. It is well that we accept the hard truth now: the man who would know God must give time to Him."
If the attractions of a place have bolstered our hopes of a Heavenly heritage in the past, may the new year bring us near to the person of God - which ultimately matters.