The Kingdom of God is at hand, it was said by the Lord. To be at hand is to be present now, graspable, in one’s very palm - not arriving, but already arrived. It shall be continually manifesting, and the realisation of its fullness shall come of course - that kingdom ruled of Love and Truth. Yet the Kingdom of God is indeed at hand.
Should I therefore, rightly assume my citizenship to be a citizenship in that Kingdom? Yes. For I am a pilgrim awaiting a city that has been prepared in a world yet to come.
But is this world also a world at hand? Is this city of which the pilgrims await, a city built in the Kingdom of God, a kingdom that is here and now and nigh, a kingdom at hand? Yes.
It must then be a truth that since I am already a dweller in and of the Kingdom, I am also already a dweller in and of the city, and a dweller in and of the world to come.
It is for the revelation of the Kingdom and City within me that I ceaselessly pray, and for its fullest manifestation outside of me that I eagerly wait to see.
And while I seek to experience its ineffable reality, that is true reality, I must believe and know that for this world, I truthfully do not dwell in it, it is not my home or land. I may be “in” the world, but only as a phantom to it, a quiet stranger made of salt and light, dwelling in an otherworldly city set high upon a hill seen by all, if though for now, understood by few.
I am in the world but certainly not of it; for my being is one with the Trueland, a land to whom the world in all of its untold vanity is but a phantom in comparison, as I am a phantom to the eyes of the world. I am seated in Heavenly places apart from the world, though in the world I walk, a world likened to a feverish dream, where lies abound and truth is hidden by the proud, the proud of whom the Truth died for, and by whom the Truth was slain; the Truth of whom Death being a lie could not contain, holding Truth for only as long as he allowed. The Truth who took up his life again, a life taken up in victory for the victorious life of all, and for the loss of none, willing that none should perish in the jaws of lying Death, but that all should come to the full knowledge of the Truth, through whom life is taken up again in victory; being Life and life more abundantly bringing. A life that comes with a new kingdom, a new city, and a new home, in a new world, and all of this in the now, for all of it is at hand, and yet simultaneously is a kingdom, city, and world to come, where Truth will reign forever, for his reign has already begun.
So it is for me, that it must be a truth when I say; that Heaven and Earth for me have passed away; and the New for me is Now, and likewise for me shall be Then again and again, forever more.