When we think about God’s realized dream here on earth, we often use the expression “already/not yet”. This simple phrase sums up our theology that God’s kingdom is here and now, and also, and at the same time, is not yet fully realized. This statement is our source of hope, in that God’s kingdom will continue to unfold in our midst, and it is also our invitation, to be a part of that unfolding of the force of love.
This phrase (“already/not yet”) is the second lens through which I want to view my trip to the Holy Land. We will be experiencing the sites from the Biblical narrative, seeing where Jesus was born, baptized, offered healing, rode into Jerusalem, was crucified, and then resurrected. Seeing those sites is already completely exciting to me and will be totally amazing to me (“already/not yet”)!
However, I also want to look around, to see what God’s has been doing in these areas, in the past 2000 years. I want to look with faithful eyes and heart to see how God’s dream has continued to unfold, for our faith can’t only be centered on what happened, but must also be on what is happening now and what we trust will happen in the future to bring the kingdom ever nearer.
For instance, the part I’m pondering right now is about the old city of Jerusalem, which is the home of Christians, Muslims, and Jews. It’s fascinating to me that this particular spot has such significance in all the Abrahamic faiths. It makes me wonder, is the sharing of this holy space, as tense as it can be at times, the emergence of God’s dream?
My bags are nearly packed and I’m ready to go!