At God’s Table
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17
Righteousness, Peace, Joy – The world’s kingdom keeps you on the treadmill. Want to get off the frantic pace of getting? Sorry. You can’t. The only way off the treadmill is to die. Or so it seems.
God’s kingdom, His reign and rule in the lives of those who serve Him, has a very different point of view. Just how different it is can even be seen in the grammar. While the world offers you participles (action verbs), God gives you nouns. Nice, stable, unhurried states of being. Not rushing, full-tilt pushing and pulling, “got to get it” verbs. Just pleasant nouns.
Righteousness, peace and joy. Dikaiosyne, eirene and chara. You won’t remember the words, but you will remember this. They are all gifts. None of them is earned. Not a single one has to be acquired. Not one demands a chase. And they all last forever. In God’s kingdom, these are the banquet items set on His table. There is more than enough for all who wish to eat and drink. And there are plenty of chairs. Take your time. Pick the place just right for you at God’s table. Sit down and enjoy His feast. While you’re there, you’ll find something even more satisfying: the presence of the host. You’ll learn to hang on every word he speaks. Your soul will discover what it could never find in the world of rushing verbs. Tranquility. Harmony. Resonance with your deepest longings. You will notice that you did step off the treadmill. You’ll discover that you died. All that rainbow chasing that used to have such a pull on you is fading away. You’re on the other side of the grave now, and the world just doesn’t seem quite so appealing. There are more important things to enjoy.
Righteousness. Freedom from the consequences of guilt. Good-standing with the Creator. Justification by way of redemption. The world’s treadmill can never offer you this. Steve Brown calls it scandalous freedom. It comes without an IOU. The world just doesn’t work that way. Never has. Never will. Jesus asked the crucial question: “What will a man barter in exchange for his soul?” Do the math. Is there anything you can acquire that can be traded for justification?
Peace. John Lennon couldn’t find it. “Give you all I’ve got for a little peace of mind”. Neither can anyone else who thinks peace is the result of equitable negotiations between parties. Peace is God’s gift of the depravity eraser. He blots out my sins. I enjoy His peace with me. It spills over into other relationships.
Joy. Doing what’s right for me and for the world at the same time. Feeling God’s delight. Finally, discovering His grace really is sufficient.
What’s on your table?
