I woke up this morning to an early phone call from an out of town friend. Unless the conversation starts out with an excited tone to say they are driving up 101, you know it’s never a casual call when it’s before 7.  A friend passed away. She wanted me to know before I saw it on Facebook. We needed to pray. The details are not needed here – but it was shocking and horrible and like any death – leaves the huge question of why? And why now? And we didn’t get to say good bye.  The kicker for my empathetic feeling amazing friend? She’s not at home. She’s going to enter Disneyland for the first time. “The happiest place on earth.” God knew the timing of his child coming home, and the timing of the trip.

Are you wondering why I am showing you my floor this morning? In a sleep and shock daze I made coffee in the 4 cup pot with the measurements of the 12 cup pot. So I thought I’d make a smaller 12 cup pot and combine the strong coffee in. As I went to go throw away yesterday’s grounds, the container flipped out of my hand and landed on the floor. I was too tired to even be upset – continuing with my coffee, I then looked down to deal with the mess.

I laughed out loud when I looked down. I didn’t put this sweeper here. The grounds fell near, not on, my hand broom and dust pan. I instantly thought – that is the simplest example of Kingdom Here, and Not Yet. The grounds fell, we are fallen, we are clumsy, we are tired, and we make mistakes. And yet, the very thing to clean it up is there.

Then I chuckled again – it fell right next to a spot I’ve been meaning to clean for a couple of weeks. I just have not taken the time to bend over with a wet rag. The broom itself did not clean the mess, I had to go to the sink to get a rag, and while there I grabbed a scrub pad for the older mess. It took 3 times to the sink to get the floor all cleaned up.

It took 3 trips, and 3 different tools to get the spot cleaned.

Here are some Kingdom thoughts I’ve had the past few months. Why does this physical thing happen – and God heal this part, but not that part. This financial set back develops and he provides this amount and not that amount. Why do I see friends who are standing right next to the very thing that can help them and they choose not to pick it up. Why do I walk over my own mess for 2 weeks and not bend down and wipe it up?

We like to speak about the Kingdom on large scale things. Circumstances that can not be explained that we can only look to the Father and his ways to give words too. Inadequate misunderstood words to those who do not walk in the Kingdom through the saving grace of the blood of the Son and the works of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We talk of healing cancer, and financial windfalls, and children turning their lives around. But what about the every day?

Do you take the time to look at your common every day tasks and see? See where God is moving? Where is the Kingdom breaking into your day? Do you ask for the Kingdom to move before you’ve even had coffee? I read about Jesus and the Disciples walking through towns and people being healed for even being in the crowd, or just for asking, or just for reaching out with a touch. From what I read in the New Testament – this is God’s – Christ’s desire for us – that we would walk through 2014 the same way that Jesus and the disciples did, the way the believers walked those days after Pentecost, and the Prophets of Old and the Great Cloud of Witnesses that walked out their lives of Faith, even without seeing the Messiah come.  That’s what I want. I’ve seen and experienced and felt the Spirit move. I want to walk  – Blessing God with my Whole Soul – and pour out that praise to others.

Meanwhile – another thought came to light as I took the before and after photos. We are going to be going through a deliverance weekend next weekend. Praying – learning – growing. If you think of healing and deliverance – do you think about the small annoying thing that needs dealt with or the huge pile of junk? Most jump right into the Junk.

This pile is created from a couple of days of not doing recycle and running out of garbage bags. One trip to the local Mart and a few minutes with a rain jacket on, and it will be cleaned. Bag up the cans, and it will be neat and tidy. I won’t need any intervention – or help – just doing it. (or the boys doing it) Sometimes we look at the big ugly pile. The pile we are embarrassed about. The one that brings us shame. The one that makes us feel less worthy. It might even begin to describe who we are. Slovenly. Slothful. Lazy. Inattentive. But all it really is, is lack of memory to pick up garbage bags.

It was the tiny spot on the floor that needed dealt with, and that’s what happened today.

Kingdom Here, but Not Yet.