Dr. Dan Coflin
Pastor, River of Life Church
Days, weeks, and months—it seems time flies by at an ever-increasing pace. Thanksgiving dinner is barely digested before we need to make room to accommodate schedules for all of the Christmas celebrations and then the New Year comes and goes as we begin again rapidly changing the calendar scenes for each new month. It is true that life is like a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
I remember my days as a boy, so excited about Christmas Day. The long-awaited event finally came. The expectations and wonder of the gifts under the tree was over as the empty wrapping paper was collected and deposited in the trash. The thought of having to wait another 365 days before the experience would repeat itself was hard to imagine. A whole year seemed like forever.
These days I am amazed how soon Christmas Day arrives and another year begins. Now my focus is not the brightly colored wrappings or flashing lights of the season, but the more adult things I never considered as a child. The responsibilities of life and demands of time and finances take the place of the awe and excitement enjoyed by children. But, what if we could recapture the excitement of the season we experienced back then. Can we relive the days of innocence and remain awed by the beauty and mystery of Christmas all year long?
I hear people say, “It would be so nice to find a little village tucked away in a beautiful valley where I could live in a “Mayberry” kind of town, like the Hallmark Christmas movies portray.” The truth is we can live above the hectic pressures of a busy life regardless of our address.
This place is called the kingdom of God. It is not a geographical location but a condition, and our living in this marvelous place of wonder and excitement, filled with peace and every good thing is not for sometime in the future but is already here (Lk. 17:20,21). God’s kingdom is certainly in heaven, but heaven is not the only place we find it. We are instructed by Jesus to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven.” (Mt. 6:10) Could it be God wants us to live in His glorious kingdom before we ever arrive in Heaven?
Heaven is a marvelous future we can all look forward to if we have the key that grants us access. The Bible shows us that our access to heaven is not obtained by our good works or lack thereof, but by receiving the one who opened the door of heaven for us. Jesus paid the price required for our forgiveness by his death and resurrection.
The Bible also tells us that God has given to us the “keys of the kingdom.” (Mt. 16:19) The kingdom is described as “righteousness, peace, and joy.” (Rm. 14:17) Jesus is the “key” to enter the door of Heaven, but there are many people who are on their way to Heaven who are missing the kingdom of God here. We can live here consumed by the cares and challenges of life, or we can live here consumed by the wonder and glory of God’s kingdom.
Our entrance into Heaven is only through Jesus. Our living in the kingdom now requires us to become like little children, excited about all of the gifts under the tree (the cross) and knowing it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom (Lk. 12:32).
Grown-up responsibilities are always with us, but right in the middle of our busy new year we can choose to live in the kingdom of God. As we do, the wonder and excitement of Christmas day will last all year long, and the gifts God has so freely given can be enjoyed every day (Rm. 8:32; 1 Cor. 2:12).
Dr. Dan Coflin and his wife Dianne are co-pastors of River of Life Church in Lutz, FL. 410 Chapman Rd. East, Lutz, FL 33549, (813) 949-9931, www.roltampa.org.
We would love to invite you to visit River of Life Church on 410 East Chapman Rd. in Lutz. Our lively worship begins at 10:30 on Sunday morning, and our church is a non-denominational, spirit-filled ministry. So please honor us with your visit. We would love to have you!