“While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.”  Luke 19:11

      What’s your belief about the return of Christ?  Everybody believes something.  Even before I committed my life to Christ, I believed Christ’s return to be imminent.  But that was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away.  Ok, it was 35 years ago. 

     There is nothing wrong with having expectations.  Jesus told everyone to “be ready” and expect His return.  His instructions were to live as though His return will be tomorrow, but plan as though it will be a lifetime away. 

      The parable Jesus employs here in Luke 19 corrects this type of faulty thinking.  Evidently many people believed “the Kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.”  The Kingdom is going to manifest today, just not in its full manifestation, with Jesus returning to Jerusalem to reign supreme. 

      Why does Jesus mention this issue?  Because we have a tendency to waste the real investment opportunities the Lord has made in us.  We believe that in the future God will make us complete, perfect and whole just like Jesus. The truth … God is actually working in our “now”, making us in the image of His Son. 

      God expects us to be investors like Him.  Those who invest wisely are given more investment capital.  Those who neglect their opportunities, lose their entire investment.  See, if you believe Kingdom work and Kingdom realities are a “future” event you will miss God’s best now.  The Kingdom is now and exists within you.  The Lord has placed you here to conduct Kingdom business until He returns. 

       Will you miss the investment opportunity of a lifetime?  Don’t believe in a Kingdom far, far, away!  Believe in a Kingdom right in your heart.  God does.