Waiting for the Kingdom of God to Come
Posted by Sandy in Christian Living, Kingdom of God, tags: Luke“Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he had been waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.” Luke 23:50-51 (NLT)
“He had been waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.” It is so easy for us to get caught up in the day to day responsibilities of life and lose our sense of anticipation for the Kingdom of God. It’s so easy to lose our grasp on the reality of the unseen.
But Joseph got it right. He was a member of the high council that sentenced Jesus to death. But He didn’t get caught up in the emotionalism of it all, in the mob mentality that overpowers reason in reasonable people. Scripture says he was “waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.” And it steadied him past the horrendous decision made by the council and the subsequent crucifixion of Christ.
When our focus isn’t on the Kingdom of God, it shifts to things of this world. And when that happens, we are at great risk of putting other things before Christ. The Pharisees put their position in life, their pride, their religion before the coming Messiah. They so had their eyes on the earthly requirements of their religion that they lost their anticipation of the Kingdom of God that was to come.
The word translated “waiting” is the Greek word prosdechomai and it means waiting “with confidence or patience” or “looking for.” It has a sense of anticipation in it.
Think about the last time you went on vacation – a vacation that you were really looking forward to. As it grew nearer, it always occupied your mind to some extent. You were waiting for it, much like Joseph of Arimathea was waiting for the Kingdom of God.
It’s a strong mindset. It’s not a lazy hope, something that occupies your mind for a short time then disappears when life gets busy. It requires a vigilance that consistently brings your mind back to the unseen reality of the Kingdom of God.
Think about the last time you were significantly worried about something. The issue held your attention no matter what you were doing. That’s the negative version of waiting with anticipation. Don’t get caught up in it; choose to “worry” about the Kingdom of God, keeping it in the front of your mind. It will protect you from the emotionalism of the moment. I don’t know about you, but I sure need that!
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