I sometimes meet people who think I’m a little loony for believing that anything in the Bible is true. But I gotta tell you, this collection of 66 books written over centuries has got me hooked.
I mean, the very first sentence describes a Being behind life Who is capable of taking dark, empty, nothingness, and separating the chaos of that reality to bring time and space where life can be full and whole and good.
With that hook, I bite the bait. But by page 4 when they’ve described all the things that go wrong in the world and explained why it’s gone wrong, I have to admit I’m more than curious. Murder, manipulation, betrayal, blame, relationship breakdown, war, shame – trying with every bit of power we have to make things great and somehow only ending up in more of a mess. I’m looking around at the world I live in and just nodding “Yup, sounds about right.”
And at page 7 when there’s a promise made to reverse the broken mess and restore this earth and everything in it to the good that was intended by the Force Who made it, I stop in my tracks. The rest of the story claims that this mission is well under way. In fact, the part of the story written 2,000 years ago suggests that with the birth and life, death and resurrection of Jesus from Nazareth, the long-awaited restoration plan has begun!
They claim that little pockets of the good and whole and full life are being re-established here and NOW (not just after we die) as we allow the loving, merciful, compassionate, and faithful ONE who made this earth live with us and teach us the way to be fully human. They call this mission of restoration THE KINGDOM!
There may be some people on this earth who avoid pain, darkness, suffering, and chaos in their own personal lives. I doubt it, but maybe.
But I don’t believe there is a single person who hears about famine in Sudan and Yemen, or the invasion of Ukraine leaving millions displaced and fleeing, or the sexual abuse of children, or the power of the drug lords in Mexico leaving average citizens in constant fear, or the people dying on aquatic vessels or cargo vehicles just to escape their countries of origin, or…
I could go on. I don’t know a single person who can take a good look at what is happening in the world and say “It’s all good. No repair needed! No restoration plan required!” Not a one.
You may think I’m loony, but I have to ask – what in the world is it that YOU believe will restore goodness to this broken world? If everyone has enough money, food, and shelter? Power and voice to protect what is ours? Maybe forget anyone else’s pain or suffering and just find your own great haven? And what’s the track record of the thing you put your hope in? Is it working?
What if it’s true – the Kingdom has come, and you’re invited!
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Melanie Koch Nichol serves as youth centre director at Youth Unlimited/YFC North Perth.
