By David R. Nehrenz
Wednesday is Veterans Day and we will thankfully remember those who gave their lives so we can enjoy freedom in the United States of America. Many of us will put our flags out on our homes that day.
We daily live in two kingdoms. We are living in the kingdom of this world and at the same time living in the kingdom of God.
What does this mean?
The kingdom of the world is sometimes called "the kingdom of the left hand." This includes the God-given gift of government and authorities in the civil realm. They are established by God for the common good.
God sets up this kingdom for "the authorities that exist have been established by God... he is God's servant to do you good... to bring punishment on the wrongdoer... they are God's servants who give their full time to governing." (Romans 13:1,4,6)
Thus the remembrance of Veterans Day is part of the kingdom of this world. In this we have been blessed with peace, justice and freedom because of the sacrifices of countless thousands who have died in defense of our country. For this we give God and these veterans our humble and hearty thanks.
The kingdom of God is sometimes called "the kingdom of the right hand." This includes the God-given gift of the church and its proclamation of the Gospel in the spiritual realm. Pastors, teachers and congregations are appointed also for the common good.
God plants his kingdom through the seed of his word scattered on the field of this world, so that it "grows... with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade." (Mark 4:32)
In the kingdom of God we have been blessed with eternal peace, justice and freedom because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. He died and rose as a substitute for all the sinners in the world. For this we give God the Father, his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit our humble and hearty thanks.
In the interactions with our neighbors in our community and in the divine services at our churches on Sunday, we rejoice that we are living in two kingdoms at the same time.
