Philly has the reputation of being a bit gritty and grimy, but I must ask the question, what would it look like in my community if God’s Kingdom dwelt in fullness? How would it look if all my neighbors subjected their lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ? What visual picture in my mind would I have for everyone to be living authentically in community the way God has designed us to?
God’s desire is that His kingdom would be established here on earth as it is in Heaven. That means that God wants to rule and reign over North Philly as he already reigns over Heaven. Just imagine the Kingdom of God breaking forth into our neighborhoods, and they were all reverting back to creation, better yet a new creation that once again glorifies God in our relationship with Him and our relationship with others.
Martin Luther King once practiced some of this Kingdom Imagination, and he dreamed very big. He began to see what it would look like for the entire nation to allow the God of reconciliation to do a work of reconciliation among us. And while most would agree that his Dream has not been fully realized yet, we surely have made some strides, and it continues to inspire new generations to pursue “beloved community”.
So as we pray for the Kingdom of God to come here on earth as it is in Heaven, take some time and do some Kingdom Imagining. What would it look like for God’s Kingdom to be unleashed and to be embodied in your community as a whole as well as within all the individuals. Now go into your community and seek first the Kingdom of God. Flo with me, how can we live this out?
Drew G. I. Hart 