The Reign of God as Light Bubble

A brief commentary on Matthew 6:33

I wrote the below statement several years ago and keep it pinned to the wall above my desk where I can remind myself regularly.

“But seek first the Reign of God and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33

“Jesus came to proclaim the Reign of God in word, deed, and spirit to a world asleep. I seek to journey with Christ to wake up to the Reign of God within me, manifesting the Reign of God beyond me.

“I am a champion of prayer and meditation, grounding all I do and am in God’s love and grace, knowing that I can do nothing against the evil powers of this world, or in advocating for justice, without being immersed in and carried forward by the flow of the Reign of God.”

Jesus’ main mission, the reason he incarnate, was to proclaim the Reign of God. His life, death, and resurrection are all part of this mission. This Reign of God, as I’ve mentioned before, is not a place, it is a changed consciousness. Seeing the world from a new perspective, from a larger transcendent perspective. The world isn’t transformed, it is we ourselves who are transformed and finally see the truth of the enchantedness. From here we are then able to operate from within and together with the enchantedness. It’s already here, we need to simply open our eyes and hearts. Everything is open to us when we see and engage with the Reign of God and its righteousness. Our current reality becomes completely new.

There are countless ways to wake up to the Reign of God, mostly having to do with a surrendering of ego, emptiness and openness, and recognizing the unity of all things. I personally favor daily prayer for stating my desired intentions to God, and meditation as a wake-up call to touch the infinite, if only slightly, and remind me of who I am. Walks in the woods and dance are also great for opening up and connecting with our larger self. You will likely have your own methods. This taste of the Reign of God in the morning then carries me through the rest of the day, even if I’m not fully operating out of it.

Enlightenment, I suspect, is when we can live in this space, this changed consciousness, this Reign of God, all the time. It is then that we will find ourselves, in the words of St. Paul, “pray[ing] without ceasing” [1 Thessalonians 5:17]. With that connection, all life will be a prayer. The enchantedness of life will be apparent. In the meantime, we engage in daily prayer and connection to keep us refreshed.

I wrote the above block quote in response to burnout or discouragement of those who seek to do good. For instance, I’ve seen clergy colleagues with enormous hearts, working tirelessly to help those less fortunate, or care for those in their parishes, often at great personal cost to their health and well-being. And while they may accomplish some good things, even noble things, the world still contains evil. People still suffer. One can feel like Sisyphus. It’s too much. But it is likely that most of us are trying to accomplish the impossible through our own strength, which is ego and a recipe for burnout. Instead, we must operate out of the Reign of God. Seek first the Reign of God, allowing us to embrace the power of the transcendent. Let the Reign of God carry us forward, like the jet stream carries a plane. When faced with evil or challenges, don’t charge forth alone, rather, hop a ride on the Reign of God strength.

This is not to suggest that only the enlightened can operate out of the Reign of God, although they are the most effective, but even those of us who haven’t fully arrived can still get a boost. At the beginning of my day, or when I know I am heading into a challenging situation, after prayer and meditation, I imagine the Reign of God as a light bubble and I step into it. I ask God to let my thoughts and actions come from Her and not from me. That my thoughts and actions are empowered by Him and not my own strength. That throughout my event or day I am surrounded and permeated by the Reign of God and operate out of that space. I surrender to the light. In this way I endeavor to wake up my inner self, as well as promote the Reign of God and its righteousness out into the world. Doors are more likely to open and miracles are more likely to happen when hopping a ride on the tailwinds of God.

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All Scripture quotes are from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition.