Part of a different Kingdom
Whatever groups we belong to here (family, friends, professional, mutual interest, shared difficult experiences) John reminds us that we belong to Christ. That is our deepest grounding. Political and nationalistic forces from the time of Caesar through to the present always insist that they are here to save and protect us, and that as Christians, we can give them total obedience. The Book of Revelation says loudly and clearly, ‘No.’ Christ is our Lord and Saviour. He is the one who has given us forgiveness, and unyielding love. Christ is Lord, never Caesar.
We are priests.
Priests worked in temples. They did the butchering of the sacrifices (most meat got processed through temples back then), they led the rituals, they had access to the sacred parts where ordinary people weren’t permitted, they interceded for the people, and they pronounced blessings from the deity.
We can forget the butchering and the animal sacrificing. Jesus, through his death on the cross, is the perfect sacrifice, given once and for all. We still bring prayers for others to our God. We offer songs of praise and worship. We are used by God to bring blessing to others. We offer ourselves to God for service to others. We are priests in our own unique ways.
Tending the sacred each ordinary day.
Priests looked after their sacred places. We are all called to tend our personal sacred spaces: our own lives and well-being, and those who are close around us. It is simply being present and showing love where we are, in our ‘ordinary’ lives. We listen to the nudges and prompts from the Holy Spirit. We trust our inner intuition. We learn to draw on God’s strength. We know that our little lives do have great significance and value. We take a stand against lies, and wrong things that try to drag us down. We belong to God’s Kingdom, and it is worth everything.
