The kingdom of God in the eyes of Jesus. He sees it not as a place, but as a state of being, not as a rule, but as a way of living, not as a reward, but as a gift of grace, not as a future, but as a present reality. He sees it as a kingdom of love, where God is the king, a kingdom of peace, where justice is the thing, a kingdom of joy, where happiness is the ring, and a kingdom of hope, where faith is the wing.
Jesus explains everything in private. He takes you aside, away from the crowd and says He has something to tell you, something profound. He knows your past, present, and future. He knows your sins, struggles, and failures. He has a plan for you, a purpose, a destiny. He wants you to follow Him, to trust Him, and to obey Him. The Lord will never leave you, forsake you, and forget you. He will always guide you, protect you, and correct you. Jesus is your Lord and Savior. He is everything, to you, forever.
26 Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land 27 and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. 28 Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.” 30 He said, “To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. 32 But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. 34 Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private. (Mark 4:26-34)
Nothing is hidden in the Lord. He sees everything, the big and the small. He knows everything, the rise and the fall. He hears everything, the cry and the call. He cares for everything, the one and the all. He sees our hearts, the pure and the stained. He knows our thoughts, the wise and the vain. He sees our sins, the old and the new. He knows our guilt, the false and the true.
You cannot right a wrong with another wrong. You cannot heal a wound with another cut. You cannot fill a hole with another dug. You cannot mend a heart with another break. You cannot fix a mistake with another make. You cannot solve a problem with another one. You cannot face a challenge with another run. You cannot overcome a fear with another hide. You cannot bridge a gap with another divide. You can only right a wrong with a right. You can only heal a wound with a light. You can only fill a hole with a love. You can only mend a heart with a dove.
1 At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign, David sent out Joab along with his officers and the army of Israel, and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. David, however, remained in Jerusalem. 2 One evening David rose from his siesta and strolled about on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful. 3 David had inquiries made about the woman and was told, “She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, and wife of Joab’s armor bearer Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers and took her. When she came to him, he had relations with her. She then returned to her house. 5 But the woman had conceived, and sent the information to David, “I am with child.” 6 David therefore sent a message to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers, and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well. 8 David then said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and bathe your feet.” Uriah left the palace, and a portion was sent out after him from the king’s table. 9 But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down to his own house. 10 David was told that Uriah had not gone home. 13 On the day following, David summoned him, and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his bed among his lord’s servants, and did not go down to his home. 14 The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab which he sent by Uriah. 15 In it he directed: “Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce. Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead.” 16 So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew the defenders were strong. 17 When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab, some officers of David’s army fell, and among them Uriah the Hittite died. (2 Samuel 11:1-4, 5-10, 13-17)
God exposes your guilt. He sees through your mask, your pretense, your lie. He knows what you did, what you said, what you hide. He hears your excuses, your reasons, your blame. He judges your actions, your motives, your shame. He shows you your sin, your fault, your error. He reveals your weakness, your flaw, your terror. He confronts you with truth, with justice, with grace. He calls you to repent, to confess, to embrace. He does not do it to hurt you, to mock you, to scorn you. He does not do it to hate you, to reject you, to ignore you. He does it to heal you, to free you, to restore you. He does it to love you, to forgive you, to adore you.
3 Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 4 Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. 5 For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: 6 “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” I have done such evil in your sight that you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn. 7 True, I was born guilty, a sinner, even as my mother conceived me. 10 Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; the bones you have crushed shall rejoice. 11 Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my guilt. (Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 6-7, 10-11)
Lord Jesus, Your kingdom is at hand. I acknowledge my sin before You and humbly beg for Your mercy and forgiveness. I come before you, Lord, with a broken and contrite heart. I admit my sin, Lord, with a humble and honest start. I confess my guilt, Lord, with a sorrowful and repentant part. I ask your mercy, Lord, with a hopeful and grateful art. I have sinned against You and You alone, I have disobeyed Your will and Your throne, I have corrupted Your image and Your tone, I have dishonored Your name and Your zone. I beg your mercy, Lord, for you are the God of compassion and grace, the God of forgiveness and embrace, the God of salvation and erase, the God of love and peace. You have paid the price for my sin, cleansed me from within, restored me to your kin and have given me a new begin. I acknowledge your grace, Lord, and I thank your mercy and forgiveness. I acknowledge your love, Lord, and I praise your mercy and forgiveness. I acknowledge you, Lord, and I worship you, Lord, for your mercy and forgiveness. Amen
Pericope:
II: The Mystery of Jesus
SEED GROWS OF ITSELF / THE MUSTARD SEED
Mark 4:26-29 / 30-34
IV. The Reign of David
DAVID'S SIN
2 Samuel 11:1-27
Second Book of Psalms 42-72
THE MISERERE: PRAYER OF REPENTANCE
Psalm 51:1-11
Reflection Source:
Copilot with Bing Chat
