After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Mark 1: 14-15

I am totally binge watching The Game of Thrones, but I’m in control. I can stop anytime I want. I swear it by the seven!

The basic plot of The Game of Thrones is this: there are seven kingdoms on a continent called Westeros, and the characters fight, align, and undermine each other for the right to be the “one true king.”

To signify one’s allegiance, a person must “bend the knee” to his king.

Watching their violent hunger for power I can’t help but think of the political games, corporate greed, terrorism, civil wars and refugees that dominate today’s headlines. Worse, I can’t help but think of some of the people I know, and the games we all play. Whether sitting on a knight’s horse or in a meeting, we fight to rule our own little kingdoms. All the time.

 

 

Is it any mystery that the word “kingdom” would make us shudder?  Who wants any part of that? There are already far to many would-be kings in this world, and far too much suffering for the sake of would-be kingdoms.

Which is why when Jesus started talking about a new kingdom, it was a very serious thing. He effectively ticked off every person who claimed to be king over anything… and they all drew their swords, so to speak.

The odd thing is he wasn’t fighting. Not for power or for riches or to be the big man on campus.

He was inviting.

Here and now and all around is a different kind of kingdom, and you are invited. Turn toward it and find divine relationship, loving community, transformational living, works of service, desire for justice, overflowing grace, and the peace of God.

That’s a kingdom for which I would gladly “bend the knee”.