When Things Are Getting Worse

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” - Mark 1:14-15

There’s a bit of irony here. John was just put in prison. Things were NOT going the way that the people had hoped. Things were getting worse. And yet Jesus had the gall to show up and talk about ‘good news'.

Jesus sees the world a lot differently than we do. He sees God’s favor on the marginalized, and calls us into action to participate with him in this new kindom, which is very different than the kingdom of this world. The kindom is about love and justice. It’s what Martin Luther King, Jr. called ‘the beloved community.’

It’s important to note: When Jesus offers his listeners the “kingdom of heaven,” he is not asking them to grit their teeth and wait for death to alleviate whatever hell they’re living in. – Debie Thomas, Into the Mess

Jesus invites us - those on the ground, in the mess - to see God’s good work in people and to join in turning over the tables of Empire. How could you take your thoughts and feelings right now and turn them into a prayer?