Steve and I have just finished up three consecutive weeks of travel. Part business but also a lot of pleasure, including a wonderful vacation in Italy. In the course of our travels we visited two palaces, Buckingham Palace in England and Stockholm Palace in Sweden. We enjoyed watching the guards and the pomp and circumstance of the guard changes. All of this got me thinking about all the nations who still have kings or queens. It’s fascinating, isn’t it? In fact, I’ve become a huge fan of the Netflix series, The Crown. (I bet you love it too.)
As followers of Jesus, we sometimes forget that we have a King. His name is Jesus. He not only rules and reigns in our hearts, but He ultimately has all authority. The apostle Paul wrote that “Therefore God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11).
When I think about Jesus being King, there are a few profound implications:
Since Jesus is my King, I bow to His will. It sounds so simple doesn’t it? You might be thinking, “Well of course, Becky! That’s a no-brainer!” Yes, but think about it. As King, Jesus asks us to give up our rights to a comfy, cozy life; instead, He calls us to “take up our cross and follow Him” (Matt.16:24-26). As King, Jesus asks us to give up our right to riches and instead to take care of the poor (Matt. 25:45). As King, Jesus may ask me to go to inconvenient places to serve Him in inconvenient ways. Here’s the thing: Jesus has absolute authority because He paid the ultimate price. Knowing this, my goal is to bow and obey.
Since Jesus is my King, I praise Him. Seriously, how can you not praise a King who lays down His life for you? How can you not praise a King who rescues you from sin? How can you not praise a King who loves you completely, who always has your best in mind, and who continually pursues you? When I wake in the morning, one of the first prayers I pray is “Lord, You’ve been so good to me! Fill me with your Spirit and help me to live in a place of continual praise today!” Here’s the amazing thing—the more you praise Him, the more you want to praise Him!
Since Jesus is my King, I can rest that my future is secure. Political leaders will come and go. Some will be great and some will be awful. While they are important, they don’t have to be the center of my focus. My focus is King Jesus. He alone will reign for all eternity. I can trust Him with my future and rest in the truth that He will ultimately reign. For the here and now, I can seek to share His love with as many as possible.
I hope these simple thoughts encourage your heart. The kingship of Jesus is incredible. What other King do you know of who lays down His life for His people? Rest in Him and worship Him. Choose to bow and obey. He’s worth it all. {eoa}
Becky Harling, an author, certified speaker, leadership coach and trainer with the John Maxwell Team, is an energetic and motivational international speaker inspiring audiences to overcome their greatest life challenges and reach their full God-given potential. Her most recent book is How to Listen So People Will Talk. Her husband, Steve Harling, is the president of Reach Beyond, a nonprofit organization seeking to be the voice and hands of Jesus around the world. Connect with Becky at beckyharling.com, Facebook or Twitter.
This article originally appeared at beckyharling.com.
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