The Kingdom of Heaven

~~~ Genesis 44:18-21, 23B-29; 45:1-5 ~~~ Psalm 105 ~~~

~~~ Matthew 10:7-15 ~~~

'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

Kick the dust off your feet...keep moving forward...

spreading footprints of peace.

If you have been baptized

you have been commissioned to bring

 the eternal message of peace.

Are you carrying out that mission?

There is no need to wait for those called

 to missionary work to speak on our behalf.

In order to continue to spread peace

it is necessary for us to leave the past behind...

to kick the dust off our feet.

Peace must come from the purity of heart.

It does not come up from the dust of our feet.

Have we become numb to hearing

 that the 'kingdom is at hand'?

What does it mean for something 

to be 'at hand'?

Do you have anything that you keep at hand?

Could the Kingdom already be here?

Did Jesus leave it here when he was raised from the dead?

If we are living in the Kingdom of God now

what does that mean for you?

Is there anything in your life that you need to adjust?

What if 'kingdom' is not a place, as we believe,

but rather an action as defined in the Hebrew language.

In Hebrew 'Kingdom' is active. It is action.

It is God active in the lives of men and women.

Those who have surrendered their lives to God.

'Kingdom' refers to those who are keeping God's

 word alive and living within them.

The apostles that Jesus called joined him

 in becoming the 'kingdom' and we can too.

Remember the marvels the Lord has done.

How adept are you at kicking off the dust from your feet?

Is it difficult for you to move forward?

Where do you go to restore your inner peace?

Who inspires you to seek greater 

peace in your own life?

So many times in the Bible peace 

is reached through the door of forgiveness.

Joseph forgives his brothers years after

 they sold him into slavery.

 His peace comes in being reunited with his father again.

Joseph, the Apostles, and us...

we are all the Kingdom of Heaven.

~~~Peace~~~