I am a procrastinator. I admit it. While many in the world proclaim, “There’s no time like the present,” I smile and say, “Relax. There’s no time like the future.” My wife knows when I have grading that needs to be done, because that’s when I get up to do the dishes voluntarily – perhaps in the misguided hope that the grading will disappear. It never has. There are issues where even a procrastinator like me knows we can’t put things off until tomorrow. “After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, saying, ‘Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!” (Mark 1:14-15) When you read through the Gospel of Mark, it’s a no-nonsense, get things done NOW version of the life of Jesus. These verses share the theme of Mark. The kingdom of Heaven is now. We need to live changed lives. We can trust the good news of Jesus. Let’s begin with the gospel message: Jesus came to earth to restore our relationship with God. He worked at that all through His life and ultimately His death and resurrection. We can trust that good news. We need to live changed lives. If our relationship with God is restored, it must affect how we live. Our lives should change because our hearts should change. As I draw closer to God and He reveals more areas that need change, I should be quick to change so that I can be more like Him. And all of this is happening now. The Kingdom of God is not a future “when we die, pie in the sky” situation. We enter the Kingdom of Heaven immediately when our relationship with God is restored. While we are alive on this earth, people should see in us what it means to live in the Kingdom of Heaven. If we are trusting in this good news, if we are living with changed hearts and lives, we will show the world the joy of living in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Dear Lord, such simple but convicting words. I say that I trust the good news of Jesus, and yet I stubbornly cling to my old ways. Please work in me. Draw me into a closer relationship with You. Reveal areas in my life that need to change and let me be obedient. Let my life reflect the joy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Daily Devotion by Bob James https://dailyenduringtruth.com/https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Enduring-Truth-January-February/dp/1983973955
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