Seeing the Kingdom

The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?"

He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom.

You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight;

it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart

for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is

no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears.

That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people 

toward receptive insight. In their present state they can 

stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue

in the face and not get it."

--

Matthew 13:10-14

The kingdom of God is here. 

It is all around us.

We are able to walk and live and share it, now.

Jesus came to show us how to live in it.

He came to show us how to live.

I want to have a ready heart,

Open and receptive to insight and understanding.

I want to have my thinking changed (Romans 12:2), 

So that I am kingdom minded as I go through my day.

A farmer planted seed. 

As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, 

and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; 

it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, 

so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. 

Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, 

it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth,

and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.

"Are you listening to this? Really listening?" 

 --

Matthew 13:3-9

May my heart by the good earth.

May I have God-blessed eyes – eyes that see!

May I have God-blessed ears – ears that hear!

Teach me about your kingdom, Lord!