Musings

“Christ didn’t give us a religion. He gave us the Kingdom of God.” Father Alexander Schmemann

I came across this quote today while reading First Things (and you should too!). Many people may think about that on a regular basis. If I do its probably not consciously put it in those terms.

So why don't we (maybe I should just say I) live our lives immersed in the reality of the KOG? I suppose some may argue there is no evidence of any external supernatural power, but that seems to fly in the face of empirical evidence. I personally know many examples of supernatural healings and happenstance that some might attribute to chance, only because to do otherwise seams irrational. It perhaps comes down to knowing. How do we know things. A person who experiences the presence of God knows God, and the answer in some regards is settled. Thomas didn't believe till he stood in the room and Christ appeared again. The centurian believed his child would be healed without Christ needing to travel in person. He knew Christ had power and he reasoned and believed.

So what does the KOG mean today? What kind of "power" ( and who's power) do we have when Christ says "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these" John 14:12 I pray with faith, and God works, but I'm not raising people from the dead, and my life reflects lots of inadequacies. So I think I don't really live the faith of a saint. I still don't live a properly ordered life. Why not? I teach my kids God First, everything else second. Maybe they'll do it when I start living it. What holds me back? Nothing but my personal choices.

That could be a long philosophical/theological discussion but in the end doesn't the answer comes down to the will, and me saying my will be done rather than Father, your will be done? By reason and experience I know my will for me isn't as good as His will for me but in my freedom I continually choose my own. As we like to discuss around our house, rather we experience Gods mercy than Gods justice. I'll take love over law any day, not disregarding the necessity of law, but emphasizing the primacy of love and in fact law as properly ordered existing under love and a function of Gods love. Hmm. I'll have to think about that statement.