Archive for the ‘earth’ tag
Glimpsing the Kingdom
I ran out to the country yesterday evening, got some work done, and the rain began to fall. Not a light shower, the sky had spit and spurted off an on while I was there, but as I was driving out of property down in a low spot the rain began to crescendo. By the time I got back to my friends’ house, it was really raining. Then it went to full downpour.
We had planned to spend a lot more time out in the country, but it was clear that negotiating pasture roads was going to be impossible — the clay and gravel road were barely passable in 2 wheel drive Tahoe, there was no way we could navigate pasture trails! I headed home and as I did, it was incredibly beautiful. The wide vistas of west Texas, clouds hanging low in the sky, rain, and then a seam developed in the middle of the clouds. Light began to shine through the seam in the clouds. It was like the skies parted and heaven’s glory shined through. No picture can do it justice!
As I took in this sight with Casting Crowns blasting away in truck CD player, I couldn’t help but think of the sky as a visual image of what church is supposed to be: the people and place God’s Kingdom breaks through and touches earth! And isn’t that what Jesus teaches us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer?
Absolutely!
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.