In the Kingdom of Heaven

"I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!"

Matthew 11:11

At first, Jesus praises John the Baptist by calling him the greatest person ever. Yet Jesus adds that even the "least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!" Jesus is not demeaning John. Rather, he is emphasizing the extraordinary impact of the kingdom of heaven. It makes even the least into the greatest.

But what does it mean to be in the kingdom of heaven? The kingdom of heaven (or kingdom of God, as it is often called) is God's reign upon the earth. Thus we pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Jesus began to usher in the kingdom, and it will come fully in the future. To be "in" the kingdom is to live under God's reign, both now and forever. You enter the kingdom by submitting your life fully to God as your King. Today, we often talk about this as accepting Jesus as your Lord and living under his lordship.

So, if you want to be truly great, if you want to live your life with great meaning and impact, then seek to live each day under the reign of God. Once you have given your life to Christ, let him be your Lord each and every moment, no matter where you are or what you are doing. You can live in the kingdom of God while sitting at your desk in the office, or sitting in your car on the highway, or sitting at the supper table, or sitting in a church pew. If you seek to live for God and God's glory, you will experience unprecedented greatness in this life, as well as in the life to come.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Have you given your life to Christ, confessing him as your Lord and seeking to live under his lordship? What keeps you from living in God's Kingdom each day? If you were to live today in the Kingdom, what difference might this make?

PRAYER: Mighty God, King of kings and Lord of lords, what a privilege to live in your kingdom. Thank you for welcoming me into your kingdom through Christ. Thank you for allowing me to serve you, to know you, even to love you. Thank you for the greatness that comes into my life because I am your subject.

Help me, Lord, to live consciously and consistently in your kingdom. You know how easy it is for me to sneak up into the throne and try to rule my own life. But this strategy fails miserably. True greatness in this life comes, not as I seek my own glory, but as I submit my life to you each and every day. May I do this very thing today and tomorrow and each day ahead, until that day when you come to fully establish your kingdom. Indeed, Lord, may your kingdom come here, so that your will might be done on earth as in heaven. Amen.