One week this past month I did a spiritual exercise I haven’t done before. It’s inspired by Jesus’ use of the statement, “The kingdom of God/heaven is like…”
Whenever Jesus used that phrase, he finished the statement using an analogy related to ordinary things or occurrences from everyday life.
The Kingdom of God/Heaven is like…
A man who sowed good seed in his field…(Matt 13:24, Mark 4:26)
A mustard seed…(Matt 13:31, Mark 4:31, Luke 13:19)
Yeast… (Matt 13:33, Luke 13:21)
Treasure hidden in a field… (Matt 13:44)
A merchant looking for fine pearls… (Matt 13:45)
A net… (Matt 13:47)
Spiritual Exercise:
The spiritual exercise is to look for the kingdom of God/heaven throughout your day and at the end of the day come up with your own statement of what the kingdom of God/heaven is like.
Examples From Legacy Shepherding:
Here are four of the one’s I came up with that week that tie in with the work of Legacy Shepherding Ministries:
The kingdom of God/heaven is like…a guilt and shame burdened man, desperately longing for freedom from his past mistakes and imperfections, who experiences grace as he writes out the things that are bother him on a white board and then prayerfully wipes each one away, leaving a visually clean slate for a new life.
The kingdom of God/heaven is like a man who slowly opens his heart and mind and becomes aware of the invisible walls he has erected internally that keep him from loving and caring about others (and being loved) the way he desires. (The kingdom of God/heaven is also like what comes next for this man, if he is willing.)
The kingdom of God/heaven is like a woman who surrenders herself as completely as she can to God, including her imagination, who then experiences God in a new way as He guides her on a wildly creative and imaginative journey with Jesus, through flowery meadows and woods, walking along an ocean beach, playfully flying through the air like carefree sparrows, and sitting together on a wooden bridge dangling their feet into a babbling brook below, all to uplifting music and the sounds of nature.
The kingdom of God/heaven is like being affirmed and uplifted with powerful statements of truth by my men’s group after feeling discouraged hearing a devaluing statement made behind my back by someone who thinks he understands the kingdom work that I am called to, but doesn’t seem to really get it (based on what he said) because he has never experienced it himself. (Note: You can’t be in ministry work without receiving pot-shots along the way…but the one’s from other Christians can hurt the most. Thankfully, the kingdom of God/heaven is like receiving love and truth, like balm, after being hurt by careless words.)
(Note: I hope the Kingdom of God/Heaven isn’t like snow on my daffodils, but that is also something I experienced this month. Still trying to make sense of that! 🙂 It did make for some interesting photos though, which I’ve included throughout this update.)
Your Turn:
So what might some of your “The Kingdom of God/heaven is like….” statements be? Maybe you’d like to try this for a week.
The main goal is to notice the kingdom around you throughout your day and to draw closer to God through your awareness.
Enjoy the exercise.
Thank You:
Thanks as always for your prayers and support.
In His Love,
Randy
Wonderful Randy!!