Thy Kingdom Come

   Moving from theology to reality is fun, exciting and empowering. It also has many enormous bumps in the road, mostly from huge paradigm trees that fall along the way. I think it's interesting that Holy Spirit gently reveals things in my life, that I somehow grabbed hold of as truth, holds it up to the light of Jesus and His life and lovingly "falls" my trees. For me, the tree usually falls right in my path so that I can then crawl over it as a final act of a new found revelation and strength.  This adventure occurs over and over in my life. One of these trees that fell was the great, "Thy Kingdom Come."

   Today is the one month marker of our sweet daughter, Tiffany, leaving one realm for another. I imagine her spending all her time in Papa God's love, going for walks and dancing with Jesus, but I also imagine there is more... She spent her whole life learning and imparting "unconditional love" to everyone around her. She was a fierce warrior in her battle to live and to continue this kind of ministry. I often wonder what else she learned during those times she and Jesus spent together, traveling in the spirit or just enjoying each other's company, while here on Earth. I would often see her look right past me and giggle at something else that had joined us in the room. I believe she had connected with The Kingdom and wasn't just waiting for heaven to come. After all that training, I wonder how she spends her days now. There must be more to heaven.

   With all that said, what did Jesus mean by his words, "Thy Kingdom Come," or "The Kingdom of God is at hand," or "The Kingdom of God is like...____?"  If He was the walking/talking envelopment of His father's kingdom, and He lives in us, then now how does "Thy Kingdom Come" look?  This is where Christianity takes off and becomes something much more fun and exciting than I once learned in the religious settings I'd grown up in.  This is where Jesus becomes real in my life.

   The encounters I have with Him, and the ones I get to see others have, are pieces of heaven blasting through to Earth as a means of charring off the gunk that has settled on The Bride. She is no longer a wounded body, waiting for her prince to come rescue her from this world's clutches. She is now a warrior, becoming cleaner, stronger with each burst of His encounter. He will return to a beautiful bride and He is placing His kingdom in her right now.

   I'm becoming more intentional about fostering the piece of Kingdom He has placed in me. The piece I carry may look different than the piece you carry. We were meant to be a Body. I need what you carry. what Jesus is growing in you. Together, we become stronger and more beautiful. We are becomimg a Bride worthy of The Lamb, not because of what we do, but because of what He's doing in us. I'm ready to move further into something I saw Tiffany carry everywhere she went. I'm ready to join with others who are ready to do the same. I'm ready to host and lead others into their own personal "blast" from heaven. I'm ready to change the world, just as Tiffany did... just as Jesus did... one loving encounter at a time.