The Kingdom

The kingdom of God has been a sort of a popular buzz concept lately that I have noticed showing up in all sorts of "emerging church" tag lines, book titles, and preaching series. I have heard plenty of teachings, and done many a bible study on this suject, but as to the actual practical outworkings of how this kingdom shows up in the world I have remained mostly mystified. I appreciate how Richard Mckinley's practical examples in This Beautiful Mess suggests tangible ways in which the reality of heaven could beckon the world home. One intriguing instace he described was how members of his church Imago Dei decided to beautify a park in a poor crime ridden area. One image stood out to me particularly as he described a little boy and a homeless man patting the dirt around a newly planted rosebush while a women from the neighborhood looked on commenting that she had not seen a child in the park for over ten years. Perhaps in immitating Eden we can find each other and the Creator who can show us the way into the comfort of home and the high calling of his kingdom.