help is AT HAND

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It's been fun spending time considering each of those 5 phrases in Jesus' gospel to Jewish people:

. TIME'S FULFILLED!

. THE REIGN OF GOD('s help)

. IS AT HAND, NEAR.

. GIVE UP YOUR AGENDAS &

. GIVE YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

This is a reflection on the middle one:

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help is AT HAND

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ἤγγικεν * (ēngiken) [Greek: is at hand, is "at the door", is arriving]

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That little statement that you are "at hand"*.

That you would be "my helper"*, seems so rude.

It understates. Does it demean, demand? 

I s'pose it seems like no profess'nal dude

would like to bill themselves that way at all.

But ev'ry Dad & Mum does that, we've known!

They're giving up their lives for tiny, small,

and in-sig-nif-i- cant do much "on own".

Because they're loved, they love, and pass this on.

It's love itself that makes value & worth.

For human children grow where love-life's shone,

and is identified after their birth.

When your reign came to town, it didn't "barge",

or "knock over", it joined as friends would share,

it knocked politely* on our door, "at large",

but not as largest thing, that made folk care.

You "hope that people reach out, and find you" *,

you live the way of love*, rejected and

despised by self-sufficient folk who do

not want to be seen as needing "a hand".

The Lord is near*, at hand, and immanent-

ly made accessable to us right now.

I will not waste, or miss out what that meant

for them then, or for us today. I bow

before such love, and help. You "clean me up",

and teach me how to walk, and talk, and think.

Please help me learn to drink what's in my cup,

and I'll be glad to join in, when you wink!

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*  The psalmists and early Jesus followers celebrate that the Lord is their helper: Psalm 40:17; 70:5; 118:7; 146:5; Heb 13:6

John heralded, Jesus heralded, Jesus sent his disciples to herald that " the kingdom (or reign) of Heaven (or of God), was "at hand", "near", "arriving", "right among you": Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; 26:45; Mark 1:15; Luke 17:21; John 1:10-11 But unlike other leaders on this Earth (Mark 10:41-45; Matt 20:24-28), this ruler could be (& would be) "rejected", "not received", "betrayed". Unbelievable!

The apostles, Jesus' Ambassadors of his reign (after he is identified as God's chosen agent for God's own reign), continued to remind people of this fact, and of the attitude of this particular King, & this kingdom's rule: Acts 17:19-34 ( especially vs 27) ; Rev 3:20; Rom 13:12; Phill 2:1-11; 4:5; James 5:8; 1Pet 4:7 

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