The Promise Is Here

For almost two years I had been somewhat engrossed in a long-term goal. Quite miraculously, that goal was reached about five years sooner than my most optimistic expectations, and although it happened in the middle of a very busy time for me, when I had almost no time to think, once I had some time to think, I realized I was floundering a bit. Had I seen myself reaching and passing certain milestones, I would have had time to develop the next goal, but in this case, I had one weeks’ warning, and no time to think about it.

As I recognized my hazy state, I found myself wrestling with the Lord. I wrote down some long term goals, and then I wrote out some mid-term goals, and then I wrote some short-term goals. The short-term goals looked wimpy, even to me. I knew they weren’t sufficient. They were all about what I thought I could accomplish, which, in my opinion, is a stupid type of goal to set. I found myself fighting with the Lord, and I knew what He wanted of me: not merely "now faith is," but "faith for now."

For some years, I had been afraid even to dream of the future. Then I got comfortable dreaming of the future, but I kept it all in the future. At some point, however, the future arrives. In the days of John the Baptist, the people were in that same state. The coming of their Messiah was what they all hoped for, of course, but … some day. John’s message was clear, and it was simple, and it was very nearly impossible for the people to grasp. John said, "Change the way you think: the kingdom of God is NEAR."

This morning I rolled that over and over and over again in my mind. Change the way you think, for the kingdom of God is near. As I sat down to type in my journal, I realized something shocking: I am living in the land the Lord promised me. I am no longer a slave in Egypt, having no authority over my own person and few possessions. I am no longer wandering about in the wilderness, learning to hear the Lord’s voice, learning to believe, and learning to obey. I am neither perfect in any area, nor am I inhabiting the entirety of my inheritance, but I have entered the land.

I have to change the way I think, because the kingdom of God is HERE.

Just as He did for the Israelites, the Lord has set boundaries for me. My taking full possession of everything within those boundaries in my lifetime would come right after the creation of the world and raising Jesus from the dead on the list of God’s most amazing works, but I have time for growth and room for growth … and a possession—tiny but sure—even now.

I have lifetime ahead, for changing the way I think.

And so do you.

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