I love the vision of God of redemption and restoration that began with Jesus 2,000 years ago in the desert sands of Palestine. The kingdom of God is a world where the reign of sin and its deadly effects will have ceased. It is a kingdom in which the specter of our fears and worries will pursue us no more, a kingdom where God Himself will have redeemed and restored completely broken humanity. It means rest, peace, and unspeakable joy and gladness, and God has promised in Jesus Christ that this kingdom will surely be established one day soon. But until that day comes, there is a bold proclamation that needs to be made here on earth. We His people have been called not to an idle waiting for the Kingdom, but to be active participants through whom His kingdom will come. We are people with a foretaste of all the glory that is come, entrusted with the solemn but joyous responsibility of declaring the good news that God is at work even today and the troubles of all those who trust in His name will come gloriously to an end soon.