A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

Welcome to Hope Mommies In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be narrowing in on specific truths of the gospel to learn how they direct and inform us in our grief. As we study these truths together, we’d love you to use the comments as a place to dialogue with us about what you are learning and share your answers to the questions below. We pray that you hearts will be encouraged as you dig into God’s Word each week with us! 

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven.
If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”
John 6:51

READ:

In John 6:55, Jesus says that His flesh is real food and His blood is real drink. He speaks in terms of salvation being a meal—of Himself. Jesus became physical flesh and blood to give of His own body for our sins. But He is speaking beyond His physical incarnation here; Jesus teaches us that the most real meal we could have here on earth is actually spiritual.

The kingdom that Jesus came to inaugurate with us is one that directly corresponds to the real, spiritual salvation that He gives. And only this salvation is what allows us to live on the last day.

“Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
John 3:18

Jesus was here to herald a spiritual salvation from the righteous wrath of God we were due, a salvation through the sacrifice of Himself. By God’s grace, I have the hope that my daughter belongs to His salvation because, though she was sinful in nature from birth (1 Corinthians 15:22) and completely in need of Christ, she was also without the accountability of being able to grasp God’s general revelation in the world around her (Romans 1:20). So, I have the hope that God covers her in Christ.

When I felt a void in coming home from the hospital without my daughter, at the same time she felt belonging. Even though—because she was stillborn—she never received a certificate of birth stating that she belonged to this country, I have this hope that she belongs to His kingdom.

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken”
Hebrews 12:28a

Though you and I do not presently see the full and final fulfillment of our salvation—we are not yet in heaven—we can know the reality from Jesus that His kingdom is real. Yet, the kingdom is not only future, but it has also already started in some sense (Mark 1:15; 2 Corinthians 6:2b; c.f. John 18:36). In order to know we will enter the kingdom in the future, we must be a part of it before the last moment of our lives on this earth.

REFLECT:

1. Read the verses above (2 Corinthians 6:2b, Mark 1:15, and John 18:36). What do these verses teach us about God’s kingdom?
2. How does the knowledge that your beloved child’s absence with you means their complete belonging with the Lord fuel your grief with hope?

We would be honored to share your story as a Hope Mom on our blog. On Saturdays we feature Hope Moms’ stories in order to showcase God’s faithfulness even in the midst of such deep sorrow. If you would like to have your story shared on our blog for this purpose, learn more and submit here.