Day 5- Preserving my kingdom of me?

Luke 17 v 26-37

S- Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the day of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. (V 26-27)

O- God will end all the injustice when Jesus comes to judge- on a terrible day for those who have not listened to his warning

Pattern through bible history: Noah and the flood, Lot and Sodom. Lot's future son-in-laws perished when they took Lot's word to be a joke. (Genesis 19 v 14) They would not leave the city under God's instructions because they wanted to preserve their lives there, despite the depravity of culture. Lot's wife left the city with Lot, by command of the angels before God destroyed the city, but her heart was still in the city and she looked back, and she too lost her life- turned into a pillar of salt. ( Genesis 19 v 17)

But as in Noah's day where the flood came and destroyed them all, there's no going back. There's God's rescue or there's destruction. 

There's a clear division of people: in the ark (Noah's times) or going out of the city (Lot's times) compared with those who are carrying on unaware/ignorant of what is coming, unprepared to change.

The activities described 'eating and drinking' etc are not in themselves evil. Their problem is going about their lives without reference to God. 

Here God is calling us to something very counter cultural: Luke 17 v32-33 read 'Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.' 

A-

I was challenged to consider: am I going about my life the way I want it or am I willing to 'give it up' and look towards God's rescue and kingdom. Will I, like Noah, embrace God's rescue provision? 

To be part of God's kingdom: I must not seek to preserve my life, but give it up for God. I wonder in what ways I am doing this preserving thing- on reflection I think it's being perennially too busy to do what God desires, too busy to pray, to love like him, to saturate myself with his word. While I've been on holiday I've idly found myself thinking of many things (hobbies, interests, ways of doing family life) that could occupy my every waking thought for the next 12 months. I feel a tug on my heart to slow it all down, put it all aside and fix my eyes instead on Jesus. 

P- Lord have my heart and mind, soul and strength to use for your kingdom. 

Lord, turn me from seeking my own kingdom first.

Lord, stop me from storming ahead enthusiastically for more fun ideas and let me wait on you and the opportunities that you are giving us for using our energies wisely for you.