It is God’s good pleasure to let us enter the promised Kingdom – Luke 12:32

We don’t need to worry – it gives God great happiness to give us the Kingdom that he has promised.

There are some wonderful reassuring words in Luke 12 and verse 32. We are told by Jesus to have no fear at the current time and also about the future. It is God’s pleasure to let us enter the kingdom he has promised in the future. We are not to worry about our life – what we will eat or what we are to wear. God will ensure we have these things. Do not worry about material possessions but rather focus on the kingdom.  As Jesus says: “seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you” (Luke 12:31). If we do this then it will be the good pleasure of God to give you the kingdom.

What is the kingdom?

In the future, Jesus Christ will return to the earth (from Heaven) and he will be king over all the earth.  This kingdom has been promised from the very beginning.

The king will put down all oppression and evil and will bring a blessing on all nations. His kingdom will over throw all others. Jerusalem will become known as the city of Truth. All nations will be gathered together under one rule and one religion.

Seek first the kingdom of God

Jesus spoke to many people in the region of the Sea of Galilee and this speech is known as the Beatitudes. During the speech he sets before us the main objective for which we follow him:

Therefore, Jesus wanted us, as a priority, to seek the kingdom of God which will be set up in the future. To help us be more confident in our seeking of this kingdom he says:

We are being taught here that if we do our part, with our confidence in God alone, that we shall be satisfied with the final outcome. 

The ups and downs of life

This process of coming only to God had been taught back in the days of the Old Testament to the people of Israel:

Manna was a substance which was the Israelites chief food during their 40 years travel through the wilderness. It is described in the Bible as ”bread from heaven”.

God’s people are not exempt from the ordinary “up and downs” of life. As a result, the people hunger and thirst but then we are told that God feeds them. Israel was to go out and seek the manna, but according to strict rules. They were to gather it in the morning of six days, enough to feed them but not too much (in greed). Only on the sixth day would more than one day’s supply be gathered. This was to feed them on the seventh day which was the Sabbath.

The almighty God also feeds the birds of the air. Jesus said:

The Almighty feeds the birds but He does not put the food into their nest—they must go out and forage, i.e. seek for it. When they go out seeking their daily food they are confident of finding it—God has never failed them.

“It is your Father’s good pleasure”

King Solomon was famous in the regions he lived in. He was known for riches and glory in material things and his wisdom concerning the name of the Lord. A queen came from the far land of Sheba to visit him because she wanted to see for herself how King Solomon lived:

And yet when Solomon’s court dyers (clothiers) tried their best to duplicate the colours and beauty of the lilies of the field, they could not. So, for all that he had and could do, he could not copy what was out in nature created by God:

We are being taught about our limitations. Once we recognise that, we can then accept out Lord’s instruction:

Like Israel in the wilderness, we must do our part according to God’s law. Remember those words we just read in Deuteronomy chapter 8 – “man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord”. Like the birds in the air, we go forth to seek, but with a confidence in the unfailing provisions from above.  The birds seek food and a place to nest….we seek a future kingdom promised to each one of us if we only come to God.

We shall ask, seek, and knock, knowing that God as the all wise Father will provide. As further encouragement, Jesus also said the words we are considering in this article: “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”.

Sometimes life can be difficult

We are taught that our Father chastens those He loves:

Now this is not pointless retribution. The Father is not a vindictive tyrant who rewards every misdeed with mindless punishment. The chastening which the Father extends to His children is designed with an end in view. Jesus told us what that end is in the main verse we are considering:

God’s chastening is directed to this end, but only profits those who respond, as did Jesus, and who grow in grace.

The “peaceable fruit of righteousness” is everlasting life. Our forerunner has shown us the way. It will be His Father’s good pleasure to then allow us to enter the kingdom he has promised from the very beginning.