Jesus came preaching that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” What was there about that kingdom that got these fishermen so excited? And why are we not just as excited?

Maybe we don’t understand what the kingdom is. Or maybe it just hasn’t been presented very well.

It reminds me of a woman who read somewhere that dogs were healthier if fed a tablespoon of cod liver oil each day. So each day she followed the same routine. She chased her dog until she caught it, wrestled it down, and managed to force the fishy remedy down the dog’s throat.

Until one day when, in the middle of this grueling medical effort, the bottle was kicked over.

With a sigh, she loosed her grip on the dog so she could wipe up the mess. To her surprise the dog trotted over to the puddle and begin lapping up what had been spilled.

THE DOG LOVED COD LIVER OIL. It was just the owner’s method of application the dog objected to.

Sometimes I think something like that has happened to the good news of the Kingdom of God. It has been so poorly presented to us that we have never been captured by its attractiveness and its power.

Thanks to King Duncan

My Commentary:

When Jesus announced that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” fishermen dropped their nets and followed him without hesitation. Something in his words stirred hope, freedom, and longing. They sensed that this kingdom was not another burden to carry, but a gift to receive. It promised meaning, belonging, forgiveness, and a God who was near rather than distant.

Perhaps our lack of excitement today is not because the kingdom has lost its power, but because we have lost its flavor. We have too often presented it as obligation instead of invitation, as pressure instead of promise, as something to be endured rather than enjoyed.

Like the well-meaning woman with the cod liver oil, we may have wrestled people into submission when we were meant to awaken desire.

The dog did not reject the oil. It rejected the force. Once the struggle stopped, the dog discovered that what was being offered was actually good. In the same way, the kingdom of God is not something to be shoved down a reluctant throat. It is something meant to be tasted.

Jesus himself said, “Come and see.” He spoke of seeds growing quietly, of treasure hidden in a field, of a feast prepared for those who least expect it.

The kingdom excites when it is shown for what it truly is: a life healed, burdens lifted, sinners welcomed, the lost found, and love reigning where fear once ruled. When the good news is lived with joy, humility, and mercy, its attractiveness becomes undeniable.

Maybe the question is not why people aren’t drawn to the kingdom, but whether we are presenting it as Jesus did — something so good that, once spilled out, people can’t help but come running to it.

Has the kingdom been presented to YOU in such a way that YOU are drawn to it? What could YOU do to help make for a better presentation of the kingdom?

ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED AT THE END OF A WEEK’S WORK WHEN GOD WAS TIRED!!

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