If this kingdom is of God, then I don't want to be anywhere else.
Hell: the absence of God. It has no power here.
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| Original Photo: Portland, Oregon |
You. Are. A. Warrior.
It's hard to believe it, I know. I don't believe it most days, but then I read the words of Sarah Bessey or I listen to the the truth of Brian Zahnd and a bit of that soul-stuff takes root somewhere down inside of me. It's important to do, to reinstate yourself every now and then with truth and hope and all things light. I need to hear it some days: you are a warrior, because most days I live out of so many other names and labels. The world tears us down and the Church heaps on shame, but among all of the labels and the stamps is one that is found deep inside of you, a forever name that is stronger and more real than any temporary name: warrior.
You are a warrior, love.
You are a warrior of love.
For love, through love, with love.
You're a fighter, a ground-breaker. You're made to seek justice and strive for righteousness, made to love mercy and walk in humility. You're called to speak out for freedom and to stand up for truth. You're made to bring the kingdom, because the kingdom is meant to be brought.
Speak it over the darkness; tell the demons to stay in hell. Tell it to them straight: I am a warrior, and all of the fears and insecurities and awful, awful lies you bring have no power here.
Fight for joy. Fight against pain and bitterness, against anxiety and shame. Fight against name-calling and bullying, against oppression and injustice. Fight against addictions and depression and all sorts of hurtful and hateful aspects of this life.
Fight against hell by living in love. Fight against hell by striving for peace.
Live in love. Strive for peace.
Create safe spaces and warm places because this is the kingdom of God, and we are absolutely made for it.
Sometimes you're down, and sometimes you sit in the sadness. God is in this space too, because God meets us where we're at. We're still made for healing though, so how do we find it? How do we live lives of restoration when the hurting is real and the pain is deep?
Sometimes you can't see the light; find someone else to see it for you. Find someone to sit in the space and feel the hurting with you, but then grab hands, pull each other up, and keep on hoping.
Fight for it, kid. You're a fighter, so fight with everything in you. Fight for the good stuff: be a warrior for the hard and holy things. Be a warrior for peace. Fight for the topsy-turvy love of Christ, a love that flips everything upside down, because in a world in which people are hurting and moaning and groaning and ouch, ouch, ouch.
We could do with a different sort of world most days.
We could do with an upside down kingdom.
In which the captives are set free. In which the weak are defended. In which the orphans are cared for. In which the lost are found, in which all who need saving are rescued (we all need to be rescued from ourselves each day, I truly think).
I want to see us do it: I want to see us wash feet.
I want to see us do it: I want to see us pull each other close.
I want to see us do it: I want to see us love.
Without judgment, without assumptions, without names or labels or any other worldly things that are not from our Jesus. I want us to be like that man, because who else is worth being like? My hand is going up: I'm the first to falter and fail. I try to be Jesus on the daily, but if we're honest in this space, I'm really quite terrible at it. We are messy people, this much is true.
I want us to try though, because when we try to be like Jesus, a bit of the kingdom collides with this very ground that we are standing on. This world is really hard most days, and I'm convinced we all need to help each other out. I'm convinced we need to breathe life into each other, to take another's face in your hands and speak love into that sweet person right there.
To bring the kingdom.
Do you see it? Do you see the kingdom? Wow, it's glorious. This space right here is overwhelming, because it's like nothing human minds or hands could have ever created. No, this space is something else. This space is something divine.
Look around: there is such diversity here. Men, women, children. Some of us are prophets, while others of us are preachers. Some of us are doctors, praise God for those healers, and some of are teaching because we're passionate about shedding light on the darkness. Some of us work with our hands, while others of us sing like birds. That woman over there? She's wise beyond her years, and that man down the way? He's an encourager 'till the end.
We've all got gifts in this kingdom, because we've all got the gift of God's Spirit in our hearts.
We're all messy and imperfect, yet we're made in God's image.
We are Children of the Earth, yet we are Children of God.
It's Your breath in our lungs, and that makes us something beautiful.
This kingdom is calling us forth, it's inviting us in: Sons and Daughters of Abraham, come close. I want to dwell in your midst.
Let's fight for it, friends. We are warriors of heaven, we are hard-and-holy-seekers.
This kingdom is topsy-turvy. Completely upside down.
All are welcome. All are loved.
All the saints cry holy, holy. Angels singing worthy, worthy.
And it's a really good thing.
Here's some soul-stuff for your weekend: Sarah Bessey is reminding us of our identities as warriors in her post: Three Ways to be a Beloved Warrior This Thanksgiving
