By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
[Excerpted from A Way of Life: Understanding Our Christian Faith, by Anthony Chvala-Smith, Herald Publishing House, 2019, p. 67]
Everything Jesus did and said communicated the presence of God’s kingdom. He freed people tormented by terrible internal forces (Mark 5:1–20). He broke down gender barriers, welcoming women as disciples (Luke 10:38–42). He accepted sinners and outsiders at his table (Luke 15:1–2) and restored people to life in community (Matthew 9:18–26). Jesus refused to let religious rules block human well-being (Luke 13:10–17); he criticized spiritual leaders for neglecting mercy and justice and for valuing the appearance of piety more than the well-being of people (Matthew 23). And Jesus rejected the belief that people’s mistakes and failings placed them outside God’s love and care (Luke 7:37–50). The kingdom of God is God’s love in action; God’s reign always seeks the flourishing of life, especially for those people who are sidelined, marginalized, and discarded.
Jesus saw the reign of God in what was otherwise small and insignificant. The tiny mustard seed was for Jesus a sign of the possibilities of God’s reign (Mark 4:30–32). In the contract between planting and growth to harvest, Jesus saw how God’s reign works: a mysterious force that brings great things out of a small start (Mark 4:26–29).
The church lives in the tension between the reign of God as a vital, life-giving present experience and as the promised future of all creation. Amid the travail of history, it often seems impossible to trust in a new future. But this tension reminds us that our actions on behalf of God’s reign matter immensely. Jesus anticipated that his followers would struggle to hold onto his vision of God’s reign. So, when he taught them to pray, he included among the petitions of what is called the Lord’s Prayer these words: “Your kingdom come! Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). The prayer speaks both of what is to come and of what is already in our midst. With these words we ask God to help us here and now keep our faith anchored in a different vision of creation’s future. We pray that Jesus’ mission might truly become our own: that we will learn to embody wholeness, freedom, justice, compassion, and mercy…to believe that this world one day will become the place where God’s reign is “all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28).
Prayer Phrase
“And all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
Abundant Blessings
At the close of the day, reflect on where you noticed God’s blessings, especially in unexpected places. Offer a prayer of thanks and try to release any worry, trusting that God’s abundance will meet you again tomorrow.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.