I think we should view prophecy a bit like supporting England in a major football tournament. Each time we believe that this time could actually be it. This time I think we actually have a decent squad and a good manager and our build up has been really exciting and positive. When the first whistle starts we genuinely believe that in four weeks’ time we will be lifting the trophy. Devastatingly quickly it becomes obvious that we were wrong, our star players flounder, the youthful hopefuls get overwhelmed by the occasion and it’s clear we still haven’t practised our penalties and we go out. Once again, this time wasn’t it. Do I feel tricked by all the positivity beforehand? No, not at all. I loved all the build-up and even though in the back of my mind there were major doubts, I allowed myself to be caught up in the seeming impossibility of a victory. But one day I know that my belief in the English football team will be rewarded, one day we will win a tournament and I will not regret those previous disappointments at all. In fact, they will make the final victory in a World Cup final all the sweeter.
Read moreThe Kingdom of God: Past, Present, and Future
We have been thinking a lot about the Kingdom of God in the past few weeks, taking a few different perspectives. Firstly, there's the historical Kingdom in Israel, where God ruled through judges, prophets and kings, and which foreshadowed a future Kingdom of God that will fill the whole earth. Meanwhile, we can be living and sharing his Kingdom now, albeit in a rather limited way, through the kingship of Jesus and his influence in our lives. However, it is clear that God wants us to be looking forward to Jesus’ return and the establishment of the Kingdom in its fullest sense. This is the great good news which Jesus brought us!
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