Imagine the Kingdom, then Go Build It
Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.
Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King.
God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress.
When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together, they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror.
Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labor.
You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish shattered by an east wind.
Psalm 48:1–7 NIV Read More
It says in Hebrews that Abraham
‘By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. ’
Hebrews 11:9–10
That is the same thing David is doing in this Psalm. Whether we are in good times or bad, one of the best things we can fix our thoughts upon is the future kingdom of God. The future kingdom of God in my neighborhood looks like kids being raised by their dads and moms. The future kingdom of God in my city looks like oppression being unheard of and justice ruling the day.
The idea of God resting in the towers of Jerusalem inspired David to build those towers. He stored up supplies and workers so that Solomon could more easily build the temple.
Looking to the great things God has done helps us to imagine and celebrate the great things that He might do. It’s not bad to imagine what God might do somewhere as long as you don’t makeup stuff that doesn’t fit with His character and you keep the honest and humble attitude that you imagined it. Many people have imagined great things in Evansville and Henderson and gone on to fulfill those things.
The Kingdom of God is invisible, but God’s people make it visible. We might not need to destroy any Tarshishian ships, but it might be time to build some citadel towers. Ask God to help you imagine His kingdom and pray for the boldness to build it.
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