SCRIPTURE: Luke 23:50-56
“He himself was waiting for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 23:51)
What does it mean to ‘wait for the kingdom of God’.
If I wait for the bus, I sit at the bus stop and anticipate that it is coming.
If I wait for the light to turn green, I am in the lane, ready to proceed.
Waiting involves more than being passive, you need to be in a certain place, in a certain mind frame.
I am not at the bus stop if I’m not waiting for the bus.
I don’t even think about what colour the light is, if I’m not going through that intersection.
Joseph was on a certain path, living a certain direction, hoping and eager for the arrival of God’s better world.
He was living a good, upright life, he did not consent to Jesus’ wrongful treatment.
And he was disappointed when – so it seemed, the bus did not come, the light did not change.
With Jesus’ did, would he give up waiting?
Yet his actions reveal a man of integrity; risking the suspicion of both the religious and political leaders, he took Jesus’ body and treated it as his own family, placing it in his own tomb.
If I am waiting for God’s better world, where people live humble, loving, holy lives, do my actions reveal it?
Am I in that lane, am I at that stop, is my position and lifestyle aimed toward it?
Even though he was disappointed, he was still waiting for the kingdom of God – and lived like it.
What kind of world am I living towards, aiming for, waiting for?
Does my lifestyle reveal that?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, if I am hopeful for a world of honesty, am I being honest? If I am eager for a world of compassion, am I being compassionate? Help me to actively wait for Your kingdom, because it is coming!
Observation/Application
Joseph had not consented with the council. A sheep among the wolves? He continued to live out his life for Jesus. He continued to make a stand – going to Pilate – unheard of. Place it in a tomb before the Sabbath. In his sorrow he continued to act on his faith. Working in the Kingdom, doing what needed to be done and observing the religious rites. There is a new day coming.
So I too need to work and pray – word and deed – in the kingdom – His kingdom for there is a new day coming and I need to live each day as a day of the Lord.
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.