Demonstrating God's Kingdom Begins With Being Present
In light of the technological advances and sensory overload moments, there’s something to be said about being fully present in this generation. It is an extremely rare thing these days. I find it appalling that cell phones have single handedly stripped us of our ability to be fully present with people. I don’t believe cell phones are demonic obviously… However, I think they’ve been used to distract us from a greater purpose when we are among others. I’ve had to create intentional boundaries around my cell phone usage to protect my opportunities to be fully present in conversations with others.
Time after time, I’ve watched people be wrecked by the love of God simply because someone chose to be fully present in a moment when no one else would. Why? One of our innate human desires is the desire to be known. I submit to you that when a follower of Jesus truly chooses to be fully present in conversation with someone who’s never encountered the love of God, it could be the closest thing to feeling known by God that they’ve ever experienced. It’s such an exciting way to partner with Holy Spirit - simply being present. I’ve heard people say, “I feel so loved and known when I talk to you.” I believe it’s because a decision to be fully present in any given moment gives God an opportunity to show His love and attention to details through our lives.
When we practice being fully present in conversation with others, we are truly reflecting God's nature to people who might never visit a traditional church gathering. For whatever reason, I grew up thinking that God was most glorified in being known, heard and seen in the church. I was absolutely convinced it was the supreme call - to demonstrate God’s goodness through signs, wonders and miracles in church building amongst Bible-believing Christians. My minimal thinking was absolutely exposed a few years ago.
A friend of mine began sharing a devotional called Dwell In The Land and Befriend Faithfulness. The devotional derived from Psalm 37:3 which reads, “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.” I’ll never forget it. This short devotional challenged me in a way I’d never been challenged in my faith. It led me on a journey that has radically changed my life and the life of those I get to live life with everyday.
The devotional suggested that we have a mandate to live the Kingdom out wherever we are. Whether we’re at a grocery store, gas station, walking the dog in our neighborhood, in class or whatever, we’ve been given a mandate to demonstrate the Kingdom of God. I’ve learned over the years, that in every situation, this begins with simply being fully present.
Being present makes space for God to write some of the most beautiful stories in the earth with us. He’s always looking for those who will make space for Him. Some of the most incredible, creative testimonies I’ve ever heard started with someone choosing to be fully present in moment. I’ve learned that God isn’t concerned with where His goodness is demonstrated. His desire is that it’s simply demonstrated in the earth through His sons and daughters. Why not demonstrate it everywhere we go, though? In every conversation we have? Whether it’s in the church or outside of it, God wants us to be fully present with those around us. Could it be that it’s just as much of a miracle for someone to see the love of God demonstrated through a blind eye opening as it is for someone to see His love demonstrated through a follower of Jesus being fully present in conversation?
WRITTEN BY:
Jasmine Tate is a Philadelphia based singer/songwriter with deep roots in gospel music and a flair for creating one-on-one encounters with each audience member. Her first solo project, The Jasmine Tate EP, debuted at #9 on the iTunes singer/songwriter charts, besting released by Sheryl Crow, Simon & Garfunkel, and Ben Rector, to name a few. “I knew something crazy was going to happen with the charts, I just didn’t know what.”
Following in the sonic and social footsteps of Tracy Chapman and Lauryn Hill, Jasmine has spent the past three years bringing heartfelt song of life, love and justice to college campuses and coffee shops throughout America, building a solid fan base and brand. Whether she’s performing in front of thousands on national television or dozens in a coffee shop to raise awareness for human trafficking, the goal is always the same – to infuse each person with hope and hunger for the “more” in life. “I want every song to feel like a one-on-one, heart-to-heart moment between the listener and I. That said… I really just want to touch those who are living without color.”