God With Us
God's kingdom is now. God's power is now. God's glory is now. If
we simply think it's somewhere up in heaven, we live as if it is
outside of our daily experience. Waiting until we die to experience
God's kingdom, God's power, God's glory leaves us with little
eagerness or enthusiasm for the present life. The word kingdom is
diminished if we do not see and believe that the kingdom is here,
all around us, as near to us as our own steady breath. The word
power is diminished if we do not see and believe that God's power
is here, all around us, as near to us as the life-beat of our heart.
The word glory is diminished if we do not see and believe that God's
glory is here, all around us, as near to us as our own tender
humanity. Iraneus, one of the early Church Fathers, once said, "The
glory of God is a human being fully alive." Participation in God's
kingdom, power and glory is not a future reward based on a good or
bad performance here on earth. It is active belief that wherever
and whenever and however God is present in human life, there is
where we experience the kingdom, the power, and the glory.

--From the sermon "For the Kingdom, the Power,
and the Glory are Yours, Now and Forever."
by The Rev. Dr. Robert R. Hansel and The Rev. Canon Renée Miller

Read the sermon in its entirety.