Boyhood Bliss - Matthew 13:47

Matthew 13:47 Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. (NIV)

            Growing up in Scotland, one of the joys of childhood that I experienced, was spending a day at the local park with a cane fishing net and an empty jelly jar. There were several ponds in the park and all of them contained minnows and sticklebacks which I enjoyed catching. I spent hours trolling around the edge of the pond with my net in the water, earnestly hoping to scoop up a shoal of small fish and place them in my water filled jar. It was the simplest of pleasures and cost practically nothing. As the sun went down over the horizon and the gloaming magically appeared, I would tip the fish from my jar back into the pond before I walked home. Life was good and I felt very blessed.

            I like the simple stories that Jesus told about the Kingdom of God. Instead of using complicated theological descriptions to convey what He meant, Christ shared His ideas about God in very basic and appealing ways. At the end of today’s passage (Matthew 13:47-48), He describes God’s Kingdom in three different ways. The one I like best, of course, is the fishing illustration. I can relate to it personally and find it both meaningful and comforting. For me, God’s Kingdom contains that simple happiness I discovered as a boy in Scotland, fishing around the park pond. This is what attracts me to Jesus and I look forward to being in God’s everlasting realm through Christ’s grace and love.

            Perhaps you are going through a rough time or you feel unsettled. Maybe you have many worries and deep concerns. Whatever the case, please know this: God cares for you and His Kingdom is all around us. We are children of His grace, loved at all times, and will be blessed beyond anything we can imagine.

Point to ponder

What makes me happy? Can I find that same happiness with God’s Kingdom?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You told the simplest of stories to reveal to us the love of God and His Kingdom. Help us to know that we are cherished and that your words show us God’s compassion and care. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Please come along and join us on Sunday mornings for worship at 11:00 AM. You will be made very welcome 😊

Today’s image is one of John’s fish drawings called “Fantail.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Fantail.

29 June devotion - Looking for God's Kingdom

Today’s Bible readings can be found at this link: Exodus 25:23-40 and Luke 17:20-37.

Luke 17:20-21  Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

            If the Kingdom of God is to be found in our midst, what is stopping us from seeing it in other people? Is it their attitude? Their bad habits? Their Facebook posts? Their political views or religious beliefs? Do we see them as foes or friends? Do we accept them as encouragers or enragers? Do we embrace them as real people or envision them as rival opponents? If the Kingdom of God is to be found in our midst, what is stopping us from seeing it in other people?

            Perhaps it’s us and not them. Maybe we’ve become too focused on ourselves, opinions, and ideas that we view them as unequal, unsophisticated, or unworthy of our acceptance. Could it be that we see ourselves as completely right and them as totally wrong? Are we so convinced that God’s Kingdom couldn’t be in their hearts, minds, or souls that we’re ready to cast them aside and treat them as imbeciles? Are we so sure that the Kingdom of God resides within ourselves that it couldn’t possibly be found in those so unlike us?

            We forget that God’s Kingdom belongs to God, who abides and resides wherever God pleases. We can’t pick and choose whom we think deserves God’s favor, blessing, and influence – that right is God’s alone. When Jesus said to the Pharisees that God’s Kingdom was in the midst of them, He didn’t define it with moral margins, behavioral boundaries, or biased borders. The Kingdom of God, like the presence of the Holy Spirit, goes anywhere and everywhere God pleases.

            It is time that we stopped stigmatizing people because of their views, beliefs, and opinions, especially on social media like Facebook. The Kingdom of God even penetrates the Internet and is all over cyber-space. If we define ourselves as Christians then we should be looking for that Kingdom wherever we are – whether in our congregation or community, our workplace or even on the world-wide web.

Point to ponder

Am I looking for God’s Kingdom today? Am I seeing it in other people? Are other people seeing it in me?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, enable us to experience God’s Kingdom wherever we are and whatever we do today. Open our hearts and minds to accept and embrace other folks as Your Kingdom people. Diminish our pride and prejudices; release us from our egos and self-centered ways. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of my Celtic drawings called “Spirit of the Celts.” You can view a larger version here: Spirit.