PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM

May The Lord Bless You
(A Judeo-Christian Blessing)

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and,
give you peace.

(To gain a further understanding of the meditation that follows, a reading of the suggested scriptures will be most helpful. The Editorial Notes at the end of the post may prove to be beneficial)

Matthew 13:34 New International Version (NIV)
” Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.”

Any attempt to capture the excitement, and the incredible wonder of taking life’s journey by faith, break through all words and escapes. A brief thought of that moment when ‘God Consciousness’ first invades you, can induce such a hush of the Holy, that it leaves one as speechless as St Paul on the Damascus Road. (Acts 9:7)
In opposition to any who argue that a life of faith is dull, and uninteresting, lacking both in challenge and meaning, I respectfully disagree.
The life of faith is not about you; it is about God. God envelopes you in a relationship with Himself. Then the days ahead become channels to incredible surprises. Just when you are getting weary of the same old scenery, and of hearing the same old melodies, and you are tired of observing the daily procession of weary pilgrims, there is a fresh awareness of God everywhere! There is a re-creation, and the world is new again. Just when you are in a situation that causes the heart to tremble, God gives you a mission you think impossible, but then, He bolsters your courage with the words: ” And certainly, I will be with you.” Then confidence returns.
I will take the license to relate one brief episode from my journey, in which God’s response to me is a personal, lasting inspiration. It demonstrates human helplessness, my helplessness, but even more so, it demonstrates God’s dramatic intervention.
The fall day was cold and wet. A strong north wind made it impossible to avoid a soaking, as I made my way to the hospital, in pursuit of my pastoral responsibilities.
The young patient I sought was diagnosed with a terminal illness and was facing almost imminent death. The thirty-five-year-old mother of three was standing at the window looking out over the city, and watching the rain driving against the window. Without speaking a word, I entered her room and moved silently to her side. Sensing my presence, she reached out and took my hand! She turned her face to me and said, ” Rev. Frank, what’s it like to die? I have never done this before, you know!
Every word abandoned me! I was afraid! Frantically my brain went into overdrive as I sought in every chamber for some remembered wisdom from my seminary experience.
And then it happened! Help came, but not from the source I was searching. In that instant, I saw God in a raindrop! We were tracing the raindrops running down the window pane. And then we noticed how one drop was standing stationary, alone. It stood there seemingly stranded for some brief time. Then a larger raindrop formed higher up the pane and slowly began the journey down to envelop the smaller raindrop. Then, both together continue on the journey, to water the beautiful flower patch that lay just beneath her window. There was an effulgent ray of light that pierced the greyness of the hour. It shone from the eyes of one with an enlightened soul.
I don’t know everything about dying I confessed to her, but I am certain we never face any experience alone. In life, in death, in life beyond death, we are not alone, God is with us.
I will never forget the hour when God took over a most critical demand which lay much deeper than my ability could ever fathom. He tenderly revealed Himself to us in a simple drop of rain.

Jesus in His constant use of parables opens a door between the understanding of one’s life “as a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.( Macbeth Act 5 Scene 5) In the stead, Jesus invites one to see, coming through that door, the miracle that is God. Jesus demonstrates that taking life’s journey by faith illumines everything with the glow of Heaven. Things once appearing as commonplace, and unstimulating now leave one with the unavoidable response: “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.”
When Jesus engages in teaching the crowds in Parables concerning the Kingdom of God, He is in effect saying to them: the ordinary and mundane things of this earth already contain the evidence of God’s abiding presence. It is the duty of those who live by faith to make this truth known throughout the world. To live a life of faith is to realize that one is already dwelling in ‘The Kingdom Of God’; it is not the goal to strive for, it is ours already. Our mistake often is our striving for something that has already been given.

Living in God’s Kingdom is to live in the Presence of the One, whom to know is life eternal. By experiencing His unconditional love, one assimilates His abundance, His likeness, and  His creative ability to see within everything such stirring material for parables to demonstrate His presence Soon all creation swells the heavenly chorus sung by people, “Heaven and earth are filled with Thy Glory, O Lord!”
The earth is never wanting for objects, which if given the opportunity, will glow with the immediate presence of God, for all to see. Rather, the most urgent need is for
‘ Kingdom Dwellers” who by faith have learned that every stone, every wildflower that grows, every raindrop and every man and woman we meet, is a parable waiting to reveal God’s everlasting promise: ”  Lo I am with you forever, I will never leave you unto the end of time.”

A Prayer To Follow This Meditation
Father, in Jesus Your Son, You have promised to give to us
” LIFE” in rich abundance. We sense a note of disappointment in Jesus’s words, in which He addresses the crowds: “You will not come to Me that I may give you abundant Life.”It was not just then, but even now is there such reluctance to take Jesus at His word! Please forgive us that we perpetuate His disappointment.
Reveal to us the reason for our slowness to believe and to accept His offer. Is it that we desire the kind of faith that can be called into action only when it is needed or when it is convenient; a faith that is entirely under control, our personal control?

Father, bring us once more to the Garden of the empty tomb! There the rudiments of faith become abundantly clear: ” Why are you crying? For what are you seeking? Who is it that you are seeking? Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

Soon it dawns on Your first followers, those first LIFE seekers, that You alone are in charge here. The gifts of the Kingdom and the abundant, New Life are yours solely, to give.

From this hour may we so live our lives, that we each may be a parable of the indwelling presence of God, and show to others what it is like to live ‘In The Kingdom Of God by faith” In the Name of the risen Christ, we pray. Amen.

Hymn: God Who Touches Earth With Beauty

https://youtu.be/-u7Y4Zmrq3I

Editorial Notes

1.  Scripture quotes are generally from the New International Translation unless otherwise indicated in the text.
2. William Shakespeare  Macbeth Act 5 scene 5
3. Genesis 28:16
4. Isaiah 6:3
5. Our Photo: Sunset in Monument Valley, National Park, Utah, USA.