Fluffy Towels and Kingdom Living

I recently just stayed at Grace’s great aunt and uncle, Bill and Betsy’s , house.  What a beautiful place they have.  They were so gracious to host us as we visited with her and Grace’s grandma. During that time, I baked a few of the desserts that I’ve been working on (protein infused of course!).  Her aunt Betsy was gracious enough to try them.  I was glad because she gave her honest assessment of them so I would know if they were actually good or not (haha)!  They are such gracious hosts.

While there, we got to take showers in their amazing shower area.  Bill is a plumber and housing contractor.  They remodeled the house to their desire and it is beautiful!  As soon as we arrived Grace and I jumped into their shower.  It is magnificent and definitely a notch above Planet Fitness.  The next day there were fresh towels put out for us on the bar counter downstairs where we stayed.  It was so nice.  I have to say probably one of the best things about staying at their house are the towels.  They are so plush and fluffy.  They feel great soaking up the water and have a great feel against the skin.  Those towels are nice! A lot more comfortable than the towels Grace and I use on a normal basis in the van.  

But our towels have a purpose.  We use them because they dry fast and pack up small.  They were pretty cheap from amazon too.  They make not having a wet room manageable. You just have to fold them up a couple of times in order to have the water soak up to dry off. 

Sometimes I think Christians believe life is like these towels.  When we enter the Kingdom of God we might think that life is going to be plush and easy because we are walking on the side of the ruler.  We believe all our problems will be solved and our relationships mended.  This isn’t the case though. Life is still going to be rough.  It’s still going to be plagued with pain, struggle, stress, and turmoil. This is because of a few things.

First, the cosmological power of sin is still in the world.  This means that all that is broken from the fall, it is still broken.  Relationships will still have enmity between them. People will still be mean, angry or emotional.  Sickness will still happen and death will still be unavoidable.

Second, we are not of this world anymore; therefore, the world is not going to like us.  Jesus said that the world hates him.  If we look like Jesus then that means the world is going to hate us.  Jesus also said that we have to “take up our cross.”  Taking up a cross is a metaphor for sacrifice and suffering.  What we do when we live for the glory of God takes commitment and patience.  We have to be willing to give up things that we think give us joy, happiness, peace, or fulfillment.  

This blog doesn’t sound like a good sales pitch for the kingdom! But Jesus is worth it!  The thing about my towels in the van is that they had their place.  They had their use. They had their purpose.  In the kingdom, all of the hardships, sacrifices, and struggles have a purpose.  These things happen to bring glory to the Father first but they also are always for our own good.  That good is to make us look and act more and more like Jesus.  In every circumstance as we walk with him we become more holy.  Also God is with us.  The Holy Spirit resides in us and is present with us in and through all of these things.  He walks with us through it all. There is no time that we will be alone. He will always be there. That is a promise.  God doesn’t break promises.  We also have the knowledge that God is in control.  He’s in control whether we are in the kingdom or not but being in the kingdom we have that assurance and can remind ourselves of this. Plus we will be on the right team (haha)! But finally we can have purpose.  We know where true joy and fulfillment is.  It is found in community with the triune God.  

I love coming to Bill and Betsy’s! I love using their towels! But I know as I’m out on this road in the van that the towels that I have for now have a purpose.  I’ll be glad when I get to toss them out and no longer use them when (or if?) we move back into sticks and bricks.  So for now I’ll rejoice in them until that time.  And the same way with life.  I will rejoice in various trials knowing that they will produce in me the fruit of wisdom and the image of Christ in me. But I’m definitely excited and waiting for the day when Jesus comes back and makes all things new!

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 1 Corinthians 4:17-18

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4