Matthew 13.44-58

Paul asserts that nothing can separate us from the love of God, and that “all things work together for good”. But, if we look around at the world, it doesn’t seem as if there is a lot of God’s love and goodness about. Things seem to be getting worse. However, nearly every taxi driver tells me that crime is increasing, the politicians are worse than ever, and the drivers in that particular town are the worst in the country. But I have heard the same story for over forty years!

Every generation endures challenges and difficulties. Disciples saw suffering and naturally asked, “Where is God?” And Jesus responds that the Kingdom of God is here and near but is hidden – like yeast in dough, like a seed in the ground, like buried treasure.

The Kingdom is in this world, but is not only of this world. In the Kingdom there is only peace, grace, joy and that experience arises in us because we are united with Christ. Heaven and the Kingdom (however you want to define those terms) is union with Christ. That is the mystery -it is known intellectually but can only be know properly through experience. And in this life, our experiences are a mixed bunch: some are very bad and unpleasant or traumatic, and some are good and some are of this presence of Christ and His goodness.

But in the busyness and often sensory overload and overwhelm, we can miss seeing and experiencing this Godly presence.  We need to consciously look for it. God is not obviously present in trauma, or in the mundane things of life. Nor is he obvious when we are fixated on ourselves!

Paul’s statement that all things work together for God is often misunderstood to mean everything will work out well for Christians – but some things do not! Paul’s full statement is: We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8.28). That doesn’t mean that all those who love God will have everything go smoothly for them. It says that those who pray, think and act according to God’s will for compassionate care for others are part of the working out of God’s plan for the new heaven and new earth at the end of time.

If, in the middle of difficult times, the person acts in godly ways, then that person will come to the Kingdom and eternal life, and is helping to build this Kingdom in the present. But the physical outcome on earth may be dire – the Crucifixion was certainly not the good outcome the disciples wanted.

However, like yeast in flour, God is at work in this world. Yeast makes inert flour into a fluffy sustaining bread which feeds life. The things that feed life are varied. Some things may be the beauties of nature, the joy of friendships, good family shared times, the kindness of strangers, the exhilaration of sport or quiet times with a good book. These things are what make for quality of life.

And for many people these are enjoyed purely for themselves. Nature is the ‘good’, and some do not acknowledge the creator. Similarly, how often do we give thanks to God who is the creator of friends and family, through whom we experience his spiritual gifts of joy, peace or compassion?  Do we recognize God is gloriously at work when we are enjoying the strength of our bodies in sport, or give him thanks for the creation of minds that can reason and read and imagine and so explore his world in the diversity of storytelling?

The act of giving thanks to God for his presence in us and our relationships is actually uniting us with him and therefore being, if only for a little time, in the Kingdom.

Admittedly, life can be overwhelming and we can feel worn down by trying to juggle everything and deal with the problems of climate change, AI, wars and just the sheer pace of change. We can feel so little and ineffective in this strange life. But Jesus says that God is at work, bringing goodness into this world. And it only needs a seed for this Kingdom to grow into something large enough to give succour and support to nesting birds.

Even in war zones, noble and compassionate seeds are being sown everywhere, through the work of paramedics, peace builders, those driving food supplies around and in the individual acts of mercy of one person to another. The war continues, but the Kingdom is not stopped and will continue to grow quietly, often unrecorded by the media, but still growing until it alone remains.

Your acts of compassion and mercy are not insignificant, but are indeed not only bringing in the kingdom, but growing your own soul into its true identity which is to mirror the Christ who created you.

The more often we give thanks to God for the mercy he performs through us, the more we are united to him, and the more we love him and want to live only for him. Some do sell all they have and go out in the world to serve him as missionaries, evangelists, or stay grounded as contemplative monks and nuns. However, there are also those who stay quietly at home and still give their whole work day and whole hearts to him.

In this way, each day can be consecrated to God. To consecrate something is to make it sacred or holy. To consecrate a day is to bring the Kingdom into the reality of our day. One way to do this is to give God thanks for everything, another is to take up our crosses. That is, whatever we do, we do for the will of God.

That means I might have to do the thing I don‘t want to do, but will do it, not out of duty, or pressure or to please people, or even because it is the ‘right’ thing to do, but solely that God can use my act to spread out his kingdom and to bring his presence, joy and healing peace to others.

No one sees this act of consecration, probably no one will see the Kingdom being unveiled in this act- unless they are looking for it. But I have glimpsed the Kingdom in many places, in the dedicated caring of a long-term ill family member, in the perseverance in a disliked job so that a family could be fed, in those leaders who bear public abuse for doing what is the right, but not the popular, thing and in the joy and liberation of a person who has grown in forgiveness of another.

In this mixed and confusing world, the Kingdom isn’t very visible, but it is here if we stop looking only for pleasant circumstances in the present. Jesus’ final analogy brings home the point that this life of ours is not the final point. There will be an end time when the angels will sift through humanity, and that which is of God will go to God’s Kingdom and that which isn’t will not. God’s angels will keep the good fish; the judgment is God’s.

We do not know when that time will be, but for now we have been given, through the gift of Christ, the opportunity of union with him, even if only for moments at a time. We have the opportunity to live life fully, whatever the circumstances. The Kingdom of heaven is near you, in you, in spiritual act by spiritual act. Be blessed and bless others!

This week: Am I truly living my life for God? How can I be more conscious of his Kingdom in me and in others? Is my daily prayer practice more about asking God for things, or does it seek to unite myself and my life with him and his Kingdom?