Seek Ye First

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” From John 18:33-37

Many of us know the hymn Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God. In addition to being a catchy tune, it contains a deeply embedded spiritual practice within the words. This past week, I participated in several small groups who were reflecting on the “kingdom” moments we had experienced. It was a wonderful gathering of grace-filled moments. Most of them were ordinary—not in the sense of being second best, but ordinary in the sense of accessibility. Several people commented that when they began looking for “kingdom” moments, the more they experienced those moments. My boss at the Cathedral regularly said, “Pay attention to what you’re paying attention to.” There are many things beyond our control each day, but starting with the assumption that God is actively in the mix can have a huge impact on our experience.

The wisdom in using curiosity to observe kingdom moments is that it widens our gaze. We are actively seeking God’s presence rather than hoping it comes upon us. It moves us from a posture of scarcity to one of abundance. The other benefit of this stance is that it also gives us the ability to set aside moments that clearly are not evoking the kingdom. We can let them go more easily if they are not deepening our sense of God’s redemptive work in the world.

It is important also to recognize that not all kingdom moments are happy moments. They can be deeply painful as well. The text we read from John this week is from the trial before Jesus is crucified. The key moment in the discourse is Jesus’ testimony to the truth. I don’t know about you, but sometimes the most truthful revelations I must absorb are also the most difficult. It can be tempting to turn away or avoid them, but Jesus encourages us to see the world as it is. Seeing the truth through Jesus’ eyes is an avenue to awareness that makes possible the reconciling and healing work we are called to engage in as Christians.

For me, seeking the kingdom is a balancing act. It is giving thanks for all the small moments of joy and light that are abundantly present so that I have the courage to look in the darker places. Most importantly, we know we do not look at these things alone. We look while listening to the voice of love and of truth.

Peace, Beth +