Reading

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel”  Mark 1:15

Reflection

Where and when do we carry out our work? Understanding our place in the kingdom of God can help us find purpose in our everyday tasks.

The kingdom of God lies at the heart of the teaching, life and, action of Jesus. Unfortunately, most Christians today think the kingdom of God is something which will happen one day in the future, or that it is a mere personal experience in our hearts.

Instead, the kingdom of God has already been established here on earth through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it has not yet been consummated.

When Christ died on the cross for our sins and was resurrected on the third day, he struck a death blow to sin, death, and Satan and established the kingdom of God. That kingdom will be consummated when Christ returns at his second coming. This means that the outcome of the conflict between good and evil is certain, but the enemy is throwing everything at the army of God in the fiercest battle of the war.  

How can understanding our place in the kingdom of God affect how you view your daily work? As Christian lawyers, you are soldiers of the cross.  You are working to build the kingdom of God in the present and in the future through the work that you do.  This means that every single action and decision at work is of critical importance to God and the restoration of the earth.

Prayer

Lord, you have already won the battle against evil and you are restoring your kingdom at this moment. Thank you that we can have confidence that your fully restored kingdom is coming, and thank you for making us part of that restoration process.  Help us to remain faithful in building your kingdom here and now through our work. May we always look toward your fully-restored kingdom as we do our day-to-day tasks.

***Please feel free to forward this to your friends.  To subscribe to the CLS Devotional (emailed twice a month), send an email to clshq@clsnet.org with the words “Devotional Subscribe” in the Subject line, and please include your name in the email.***

CLS is collaborating with the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics to provide first-class devotionals for CLS members twice a month.

Hugh Whelchel is Executive Director of the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) Christian research organization committed to promoting biblical and economic principles that help individuals find fulfillment in their work and contribute to a free and flourishing society.