Thursday 18 December 2025

Psalm 24

Background
As a child, rather sadly, I spent many birthdays, Christmases, Easters and other celebrations running a high temperature with swollen tonsils, a sore throat, deafened ears and a course of antibiotics.

My parents quickly realised that, as soon as I started to get excited about an upcoming event, I fell ill, so they changed tactics. They involved me in planning events and trips. I helped plot routes for holidays and prepare for journeys, parties, etc a long way in advance of the actual event. That way, the event came slowly and I could accommodate the change and anticipation – it was a slow and calm approach.

I still find it difficult to cope with the anticipation and journey towards events I am not involved in organising, and I still take the long approach to holidays and other excitements when I can. Even very recently I ended up in a too eagerly anticipated situation as an adult and, yes, I fell ill!

The letter to Titus is emphasising this dichotomy of faith. We are called to live as the people of God and followers of Jesus in the here and now. In our everyday lives we are to live self-controlled, godly and upright lives (v. 12). At the same time, we live in hope for the culmination of Christ’s work in the completed coming of God’s kingdom for eternity.

A ‘now and not yet’ faith shapes our lives. We live in faith now but know that God’s work is not yet finished. By default, this should shape the world around us through our living. However, we do not yet have a perfect example or experience of God’s promised kingdom of peace, reconciliation and love.

As followers of Christ, we constantly live and function in the ‘now and not yet’ but can do so knowing that God has fulfilled one promise in the coming of the Messiah (Jesus). We live in hope of the completion of God’s promise of a better kingdom yet to come.

To Ponder:

• When have you been caught in a ‘now and not yet’ situation? Where was God in that for you?

Prayer
Lord of life, we live in a society that wants an instant fix, a reply right now, understanding and immediate gratification. In a world that plays this short game, give us the patience, vision and faith to hold fast to your promise of a kingdom yet to come and the strength to live as though it is already here. Amen.

Bible notes author: The Revd Una McLean
Una is a retired presbyter living in Northumberland with her small dog Patricia. She enjoys all manner of craft work, reading, theatre, cinema and music. She also participates in Traildog events, which grew out of people running in local park runs with their dogs (today she and Patricia walk them as Una treasures her knees).