When I was young, we’d go to Colorado every spring break to ski as a family. We’d always drive out there, which was about a 12-hour trip. That’s a long time for anyone to sit in a car, but it’s a REALLY long time for four kids without iPads.
After a few hours, one of us kids would say the words every parent is all too familiar with: “Are we there yet?” Followed by: “When will we be there?” To help us get through the waiting, my dad would give us a challenge. Whoever saw the Rocky Mountains first would win $5.
We started to look forward to the game each year, and it became a tradition. Once we saw the mountains, the trip seemed to fly by, even though there was still some waiting left. When we could see them slowly growing on the horizon, it was easier to be patient.
In the parables this week, Jesus is painting a picture of the kingdom of God. So far, he’s helped us learn how to truly listen and receive it. About now is when I imagine the disciples asking, “Are we there yet?” and “When will we be there?”
In the case of the Kingdom, the answer is yes and no. This tension is referred to as the “already, but not yet,” where the Kingdom has arrived, but has not been fully realized. In fact, a common prayer of the early church was simply, “Come, Lord Jesus.” We see a similar anticipation in the Lord’s Prayer when we say, “Thy Kingdom come.” Both are prayers of longing for God’s reign here on Earth to fully come and end the evil, suffering, and waiting.
But in today’s passage, Jesus tells parables instead of answering our questions directly. There’s the parable of the wheat and weeds, the parable of the mustard seed, and the parable of the yeast. Each one describes a season of waiting before the finished product arrives.
As my siblings and I learned patience through watching the mountains, so God’s people learn it through keeping our eyes on Jesus as we wait for the Kingdom to be fully realized. In the waiting, we get formed into the kind of people who live more fully in the Kingdom. His reign grows during the wait, and we learn faithful patience in it. In this season of Lent, we get to practice looking to Jesus, waiting for Easter, and watching what God grows in us.
Reflection:
- What are you waiting for God to do right now? How is he forming you in a season of waiting?
- What does it look like to keep your eyes on Jesus during a season of waiting?
- How can your story be used to bring the kingdom of God to Earth? What would it look like to help others endure through seasons of waiting?