Storm Clouds

5 min read

27 When the Israelites were also mustered and given provisions, they marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.

28 The man of God came up and told the king of Israel, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”
— 1 Kings 20:27-28

I don’t know what’s worse, stress or discouragement. Maybe those two life-suckers are related. God has placed a vision in my heart to renew the hope of Christ and His church in the South Bay. And I see signs of this vision becoming a reality through our community. We’ve come a long way. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs too, but more ups than downs.

But sometimes our progress with respect to this vision can feel “like two small flocks of goats, while the Aramaeans covered the countryside.” I know in my head that Jesus could be coming back very soon—at any moment, in fact. I preach this point all the time. But does my own life reflect the urgency of this truth?

Reflecting the urgency of Jesus returning does not cause stress and discouragement. Not reflecting the urgency of this truth does.

And the urgency of the kingdom of God has nothing to do with programs and activities. The urgency of the kingdom of God does not lead to busyness and burnout.

Reflecting the urgency of Jesus returning comes from simplifying and prioritizing our lives so that we might do the things that Jesus does as the body of Christ.

Reflecting the urgency of Jesus returning leads us to purpose, peace, hope, love, life—the body of Christ. That is the kingdom of God.

It’s always human urgency, the urgency that comes from the world, that leads to discouragement and stress. In other words, discouragement and stress in my life come from conflicting values, conflicting priorities.

When the values of the world conflict with the values of the kingdom, it can feel like two storm fronts colliding. And if we can be honest, the values of the kingdom can be like the “two small flocks of goats” in our lives.

But there is no mistake as to which value system will prevail. When I give myself fully to the urgency of Jesus returning, the storm clouds evaporate.

Father, You are God. You are life. You have called us to salvation and into Your kingdom. Help me to have a mind that is set on Christ, and HIm crucified, resurrected, and returning. Let whatever stress and discouragement there may be in my life evaporate because I am riding on the clouds with You. In Jesus’s name. Amen.