levels and dimension ...

So far, in my "conversation" with Rick McKinley in his book on the kingdom of God, I've come across some really helpful thoughts ...

One of which being his personal frustration with his (and my) default to thinking and living in "levels". You know, getting to the next level in employment, in relationships, in ministry, in life ... and with it comes all this pressure ...

Then, through a great story involving a kid in a car-wash, he introduces the thought of dimension ... check out the following quote:

"The kingdom is a dimension I acknowledge, I live in, I participate in. Yet it's never a level I achieve. It is a lot less like building the business of Christianity and a lot more like slipping into the matrix of Jesus." (p63)

I like it... for a heap of reasons. Two that come to mind ...

1. It aligns brilliantly with Matthew 11:28: "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
2. The dimension of the Kingdom provides motivation for action and discipleship that is far more sustainable than a kingdom made up of levels ... cos when do you ever get there ... really?

There's a lot more that could be written on this ... and it could be that McKinley has already done that in the remainder of his book - I'll let you know :)