KINGDOM GRACE

J. Grant Swank, Jr.


". . .we receiving a kingdom. . .let us have grace. . ." Hebrews l2:28


When you carry the cross, you keep your eyes on the King. Knowing that the King is mastering your cross journey, you thereby understand that you are a part of His Kingdom.


"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."


There is a spiritual kingdom of light active on this planet; King Jesus is its Monarch. All those who carry crosses faithfully are citizens of that realm.


There is likewise a spiritual kingdom of light active in the heavenly sphere; King Jesus is likewise its Monarch. All those who remain true to the cross journey conclude their traveling as eternal citizens of glory.


In the meantime, the cross bearer is never without the Kingdom credentials. That in itself gives you the courage to endure to the end of this earthly stay.


Further, the Kingdom of Jesus ". . .cannot be moved. . ." That is, it is stable. All else in this life is unstable. It is always in the process of vanishing. One day in history's future, the earth will be folded up as an old garment and done away with. Everything but the Monarch and His citizenry will be obliterated.


How foolish then of the worldlings to cling to anything here as if it were lasting. It is not. How wise then of the believers to let go of everything here for it is passing.


Yet how many believers continue daily in the process of amassing earthly items as if they were lodged into the permanent? It is sad. It is also cumbersome for it impedes the cross journey.


Know that no matter how difficult the pain of the cross carrying, you are carrying the sign of the permanent realm. He carried it. You carried it. He continued through Calvary to resurrection presence; you likewise continue into resurrection presence. That is the only reality which is truly real; all else is but a mock-up of the real.


". . .let us have grace. . ." It is the grace gift that make such insight possible. Without that grace, you too would be locked into the temporary, referring to it as permanent. Grace permits you to see eternal fact. That vision positions you then to make the eternally correct decisions for your gospel witness here and your heavenly destiny when you die.


Let us have grace for what? ". . .whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." The grace gift has one purpose--to provide us with the wherewithal to bring all our efforts to the Monarch for His praise. Every word, work and motive then is set in motion to augment the glory of the Ruler Jesus.


What do you do today which will bring reverential acclaim to the Sacrifice? Is your life so stripped of self-centered ambition that you move and influence solely for the good of Jesus witness?


As serfs of His Kingdom, you are commissioned to die out to your own life drives in order to submit to that which will outlast you. It is a Kingdom which will endure the world's demise. Balanced logic would then conclude that it is the sole purpose for your existence. Surrender to that high purpose.