A little over a month ago I went to a Vineyard "Discussion on Women in Ministry & Leadership" Event. Bert Waggoner was there as well as Rich Nathan, Steve Robbins and a woman named Diane who pastors a Vineyard Church. They all had insightful things to say in favor of women in leadership with biblical backing and Kingdom minded perspective. It was great although, it continues to frustrate me that this is still an issue - but that's another subject for another time.
During our discussion Bert Waggoner said something that struck me hard. It was basically this "As Kingdom minded people we want to desire more of the already and less of the not yet" When this was spoken there was about 50 other people in the room but it resonated so deeply in my spirit that I wanted to jump up and with all my might shout at the top of my lungs, “YES! THAT’S IT!” I didn’t though... for fear that I might be escorted out for crazy behavior :)
In this context we were speaking of the restoration of women's identity through the reconciliation that Jesus brought when He came to earth and bridged us to His Kingdom - which is a true message of hope for women but this phrase goes so far beyond that! It seeps into every facet of life - who we are and who we are not yet, what we do and what we don't do yet, how we respond and how we do not respond yet, what we desire and what we do not yet desire. It infiltrates what's going "right" in life and what's not going "so right". It binds us to a promise!
It’s not a phrase we hear everyday, so we might ask, what does it mean to desire more of the already and less of the not yet? It means to want but also take hold of what has been promised and accomplished through the Kingdom of God coming to earth that is already here operating amongst us but knowing that we still don’t see It in Its’ entirety. It’s a difficult tension to live in, isn’t it?! This tension of why some are healed and some are not. Why disaster and tragedy plague some and not others. Why famine, flood and other natural catastrophes do not distinguish between the "good" and "bad", killing innocence... we could list slavery and disease here... the list goes on and on...
But there’s hope! The amazing promise that binds us with the "already" - Jesus proclaimed it, "The Kingdom of God is here!" The place where His rule and reign, His governance and the attributes of His Kingdom are supreme. A place that doesn't tolerate the "not yets" of life such as sickness, tragedy and sadness. God in His grace and love has allowed us glimpses of that which has already been accomplished.
It's easy to miss these glimpses sometimes because they are not always the "hit you upside the head" type situations where you go - "Oh yeah! That was so God!" As it would be in the case of women in leadership or putting an end to slavery of all types or a miraculous healing. Most of the time they are subtle yet substantial places where we feel safe in risk, peace in trouble, home in a strange land.
I know I see the "already" when I get to share life with those around me whether it is in a supermarket (when the "not yet" of my timidity doesn't get the better of me) or around a table with friends. I catch glimpses of the "already" when I'm gathered with brothers and sisters together in worship or when it's just simply Him and I. In the rain or in the beautiful fall weather - in the pictures of my niece Lyla who's so far away as well as in tangibleness of the love of my husband.
Many times these "alreadys" go unnoticed, chalked up to "it's just the way life is" but if we stopped to recognize them as places where the presence of God meets us, maybe small, but precious indications that God’s Kingdom - His rule and His reign is here in our midst - I do believe it would cause a revolution - we would desire more of It but also to BE more of It to others around us - expressions of God's very own love, grace and acceptance - His "alreadys" and not "not yets".
So, as my brother Neil would ask, "What do we say to that?" My response is a lifestyle of worship (you had to know that was coming if you know me :), a lifestyle that beckons the “already” to infiltrate the “not yet” with power and presence. That allows the rule and reign of His governance to overthrow all that doesn’t please Him. That captures our hearts and is contagious to all that we meet. A life poured out, yearning for the "already" to transform us - knowing that in the same way Jesus brought evidence of the Kingdom at work, we are commissioned with the same call - to bring the "already" to the "not yet" here, now.
