More Advent in the Mosaic Bible

A couple of weeks ago, I commented on the need, at least for me, to focus on the present in longing, not just the future. This was in reaction to the Advent devotionals in the awesome Mosaic Bible.

This week's meditation entitled A Theology of the Future, by Brad Harper, was excellent and somewhat tackles this issue. He really takes on an Incarnational perspective. This is something followers of this blog know I particularly like. But it's also quite appropriate with the upcoming celebration of THE Incarnation.

Anyway, here's a couple of quotes that are particularly good:
"But the church is not a fortress community waiting for a future kingdom. Rather, we realize the Kingdom of God has already arrive, in part."
"Indeed, the church is God's eschatological community, drawing the future into the present, living out Kingdom values and inviting the world to experience its power now."
"Imagine the church as a glimpse of the future living in the present."

These perspectives are just so important. When we only wait for the future, the present seems worthless. Yet it is not. The present is just as important as the future. But do we act like that? And how do we deal with it when the present includes suffering?