James' Jam - Steady Ground

"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." These words, spoken by Jesus 2000 years ago on a hillside in Northern Galilee, reverberate with so much potential. What a beautiful picture, right? The kingdom of God, the will of God, the rule of God, happening here, on a Wednesday, all around us?

The reality is that we live in a world that often seems far from the kingdom. There's so much darkness, so much pain, so much brokenness. The world has watched over the last few days as thousands died in an earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey. So much of our world is in turmoil; the physical shaking of an earthquake metaphorically parallels what so many people are feeling on the inside.

This past weekend at the Mountain Experience, our theme verse was Hebrews 12:28-29. It was a great reminder for a room full of youth and chaperones, and hopefully, it will encourage you today. The author of Hebrews writes, "Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." The good news is this: the kingdom of God is not in question. As we build our lives on Jesus, we build on steady ground.

James