An Eternal Kingdom

This morning I was reading in Daniel chapter 4 and a phrase struck me. in verse 3, King Nebuchadnezzar is speaking and he says this, "How great are His signs, how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; His dominion endures from generation to generation." The phrase that struck me is "an eternal kingdom."

I have always been taught and do believe that God is in complete control. I have no problem with that. It's actually a very comforting statement to me. BUT an eternal kingdom? I have known He is King of kings and LORD of lords, but that His kingdom is eternal?

An eternal kingdom is one that has no end but one that has no beginning. I think of the Millennial Kingdom when Christ will reign on earth for a thousand years. That will begin after He has returned to earth. But I think I've been looking at it all wrong.

He is reigning and has been reigning and will continue to reign His kingdom for all of eternity. Looking at my King who is now allowing people (including me) to live their lives the way they want, even if it offends Him or hurts Him. Why? So that we might truly see the Great and Gracious God He is. So that we might know Him in a more intimate way. But do we want that?

People may ask, "Why does He allow people to die or get sick or hurt? Why doesn't He just show Himself for Who He is and then we'll believe. And then we wouldn't have all the suffering and pain." This God could do those very things, but then we could never know Him the way He really needs to be known. And even if He did take away those things and show Himself, people still wouldn't believe. Jesus Christ, being fully God, did that on this earth and they crucified Him.

I am greatly comforted this morning knowing that God's kingdom is eternal. I can rest in knowing that He has been and is and will continue to be in perfect control of His kingdom. And one day I'm going to see Him face to face and reign with Him. I can't wait for that day!!!

Seeing Me Again

As reading through Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest, I came across this statement, "Watch the kind of people God brings around you, and you will be humiliated to find that this is His way of revealing to you the kind of person you have been to Him." For the past few days I've been very upset with my daughter's friend. This girl has continuously missed appointments, not returned calls, and then when my daughter is leaving the country has the gall to act like she didn't know the date when in fact she had been invited to the going away party 2 days earlier. My daughter's feeling have been constantly hurt and when she's tried to point it out, the girl manages to turn the situation around, make it my daughter's fault and my daughter ends up feeling guilty. As you can see I'm not really fond of her and very upset with her.

Now after pouring that out and reflecting upon Oswald Chambers' statement, I begin to see something else. I do this with God. I have missed many appointments with God. I've not returned His calls and yes, He does call. He's invited me to special meetings with Him and I can come up with excuses very easily to miss those meetings. I find it very easy to make excuses and even sometimes blame Him for situations. I know God does not feel guilty but I do know I hurt Him. 

And now I'm very ashamed. Ashamed for the way I've been feeling about this girl - not that I excuse her for what she's done, but ashamed for the way I've been reacting to her. That is not my Father's way. But even more ashamed for the way I've treated my Father. Sometimes coming to a place where we see we are wrong is so difficult, but we need to so that we can be right with our God. It's time for me to get it right with Him.