“The presence of God penetrates us, is all around us, is always embracing us.” – Thomas Keating

+++

Listen to my song “There Is Three” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books (Mercy Reigns & Listen to Your Heart). Thank you!

+++

Luke 17:20-21

Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.”

+++

This is one of Jesus’ key messages.

But somehow it was never conveyed to me in all of my religious education growing up.

We seemed to simply overlook or ignore Jesus’ statements about the kingdom of God.

Our religion ended up being about trying to make it safely through life on Earth as some sort of test that would be rewarded with a trip to heaven if you were good enough, or punished with a one-way ticket to hell to burn for eternity if you weren’t.

What a horrible scenario and what a horrible idea about God and creation!

Jesus often spoke about the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven, and he almost always was talking about the present – not some distant future reward.

When a scribe asked Jesus to tell him the most important commandment, Jesus told him the top two: First to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and second, to love your neighbor as yourself.

When the scribe expressed understanding, Jesus told him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34).

That’s because when you are loving God and your neighbor (meaning everyone) as yourself (meaning everyone loves everyone as if they were you), you are experiencing the emergence of the kingdom of God in the present.

This experience is always available at your deepest core when you are present to the Divine Presence.

It’s available ‘among you’ as Jesus stated in today’s scripture.

And among you is also translated as ‘within you.’

When you live from this experience of the Divine Presence, you will begin to radiate this Presence in your words and actions.

The kingdom of God will truly be at hand!

+++

Listen to the song of the day “There Is Three” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!