So here we are, amidst the challenges of life

The forward momentum of the kingdom of God through history encounters difficult and complicated challenges. Just from my morning readings today:

Solomon represented the height of the kingdom of Old Testament Israel. He built the temple of God that his father David was unable to build. But Solomon later sinned, his heart drawn away by many wives.

Solomon's mother was Bathsheba, a woman with whom David committed adultery. It produced a child that died. Solomon was the second child of the union of David and Bathsheba. And it says that God loved Solomon.

Of Solomon's brothers by David, Absalom, after rebelling against his father, was killed in battle; Amnon was killed by Absalom; and Adonijah was put to death after he failed to wrest the kingdom from Solomon.

At the close of the book of Acts, Paul was under house arrest in Rome. When he called for the Jewish leaders of the city, they told him that everywhere the “sect” Paul was involved with was evilly spoken of. Acts closes with Paul saying to the Jewish leaders: "it has been prophesied that you have eyes and ears that will not see or hear ... therefore the Gospel will be opened to the Gentiles." That is how Acts closes.

In Mark’s gospel, when Jesus was apprehended, those of his followers who were with him all ran away. A young man -- probably Mark -- was among them. They grabbed his robe, and he ran away naked.

So here we are, amidst the challenges of life. And the kingdom pushes on.

Logos2Go

1 Corinthians 16.9 (Paul speaking): For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.