God’s Kingdom or London Bridge is Falling Down

Over the last several months there has been a growing concern for the plummeting economy. We have been wrapped up in an ongoing struggle against gas prices, grocery bills, and the amount of foreclosures on housing. The media have only fueled the fire, reporting about the economic status of the country every day and sometimes hour-by hour. The words "Economic recession" have scared and paralyzed many people into holding on to their money.

This last week gas was projected to nearly double within the next year. Admittedly, my blood began to boil. I thought about how ridiculous our government is for continuing to fight in a war that we can't afford. I thought about how our government taxed the hell out of everyone and have oppressed the poor while the rich keep getting richer. I became angry to say the least. I turned on the news only to see President Bush dancing around like an idiot at some type of gathering (Which reminded me a lot of Nero playing the fiddle while Rome was burning).

I began to ask the question, "What is the worst that could happen economically?" What if the whole system that we have believed in as Americans came crashing down? What if there is no hope to be found in this empire? The truth of the matter is that as American Christians, we have made a symbiotic relationship between empire and God. If the empire was growing, then God was blessing and condoning our nation. We began to see the importance for "Christian" leadership and as a result became even more in arms with this empire. But what happens to the words of Christ when he says, "My kingdom is not from this world"? Certainly it is for this world, but is His kingdom the western empire? I am not so sure that Christ was referring to a kingdom in which He was merely a footnote on a coin. In fact, I daresay that He would not be pleased if God was not in charge of His kingdom.

The ideals of the first Americans in this country reflected a feeling of relief that God's kingdom had finally come to earth when they entered this land. We sing the praise songs that generate emotion built on trust for this empire often mistaking America for "alabaster cities gleaming Undimmed by human tears". Pastors preach that this is either a "Christian nation" or a "Post-Christian nation" thus advocating for a return to ideals that were previously thought. Never mind the fact that we started out of a post-Enlightenment Cartesian mindset that propagated that "I am the master of my universe" and God is either nonexistent or doesn't really care about this earth nor the inhabitants so long as he gets a few to His lonely heaven.

Government has held on to these ideals and has been trying to create this perfect utopia, feeling that religion is to be private/personal and it doesn't interfere with the empire. The church has been so focused on the afterlife that she has forgotten about this earth while at the same time the empire has been enjoying no opposition from religion and can continue to rape, destroy, and oppress. Yet, we are still advocates for certain political parties or systems that further the cause of injustice. It isn't about God dealing with this world here. Greed and power in the state have been the mantra for the church since Constantine and I believe we thought we had it here in this country during the Regan administration.

Then I heard the beckoning of the call from my Master, "Trust in me." Before this starts to sound really cliché and pragmatic, let me explain. We have hope. The hope that we have is not in the untrusting empire that either brings us financial stability or ruin. It isn't in the freedom that we were so convinced was at the core of this country. We have hope that our Creator God is putting this world in its rightful place. He is the one who is sorting it out. He isn't doing it through a politician, government, or country. In fact, His kingdom flies in the face of empire. He says, "All your righteousness is as filthy rags" to egotistical humanity that is building the tower of Babel. He comes down and confuses the language to teach us that He will build his Kingdom. We are merely agents of change working to bring restorative justice to earth. We do this by not subscribing to the system but by serving the least of these. By turning towards the oppressed, the suffering, the sick and the poor; we follow the true way of the Master.

We have been called by pastors and teachers to be ready to give an answer. The more I examine this, the more I realize that the answer isn't a list of propositional statements about how to enter into heaven. The answer is connected with the "Hope that is in us". It makes sense then why we are told that we are "Not to worry about tomorrow". How would people best see Christ in a time when people are worried about stability?

Serve, love, hope

Noah Smith