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The Whole Point
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17 (NIV)
The rivals of God’s still, small voice within—dreams, visions, phenomena—continue to be necessary and have their place. But once we earnestly seek God, we can move beyond the need to have big things happen to reassure us that somehow we are all right—and possibly that others are not. Then we begin to understand and rejoice that, as Jesus so clearly lived and taught, the life of the kingdom is “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
Then we begin to understand that God’s whole purpose is to bring us to the point where he can walk with us quietly, calmly and constantly, leaving us space to grow to be his (often fumbling) co-laborers. We will have some distance from him and yet be united with him because we are being conformed to the image of his Son, bearing the family resemblance.
REFLECTION: The readers of Romans were sidetracked into thinking that the kingdom consisted of eating and drinking the right things. What good activities distract us from becoming people with whom God can walk quietly, calmly and constantly so that we experience the righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit in the kingdom of God?
About this Plan
Dallas Willard urged us to learn and practice prayer as a two-way dialogue with God. These excerpts from his best-selling book Hearing God, assembled by Jan Johnson, are an invitation to meet God, to allow his voice to shape your choices, and to encourage your heart. As you begin this four-week reading plan, thank God that he promises to meet you wherever you are in your faith journey.
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