Our King of Kings

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2020 7:14 pm Post subject: Our King of Kings

Our King of Kings

Scripture:

Then all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron, saying: Behold we are your bone and your flesh. Moreover yesterday also and the day before, when Saul was king over us, you were he that did lead out and bring in Israel: and the Lord said to you: You shall feed my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel. The ancients also of Israel came to the king of Hebron, and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David to be king over Israel.
(2 Samuel 5:1-3)

Giving thanks to God the Father, who has made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: Who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For in him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by him and in him. And he is before all: and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may hold the primacy: Because in him, it has well pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell: And through him to reconcile all things unto himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things that are on earth and the things that are in heaven.
(Colossians 1:12-20)

And the people stood beholding. And the rulers with them derided him, saying: He saved others: let him save himself, if he be Christ, the elect of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, and saying: If you be the king of the Jews, save yourself. And there was also a superscription written over him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of those robbers who were hanged blasphemed him, saying: If you be Christ, save yourself and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither do you fear God, seeing; you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly: for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man has done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when you shall come into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to you: This day you shall be with me in paradise.
(Luke 23:35-43)

Reflection:

It is our nature to have leaders and hierarchies by which our society is held together, protected, and focused to accomplish certain goals. It is also by leaders and hierarchies by which good or evil can be magnified. Good leaders will inspire the people to accomplish great things and what is right and just. Those who are selfish of heart leave all vulnerable to corruption. There are leaders who are strong in what is right and just and those who are weak. There are leaders who root out corruption and those who enable it.

Throughout the story of humankind, we have seen the ebb and flow of leaders who trusted in God and those who were seduced away from Him such that they did not trust in what our Creator asks of us. There are also many who profess their faith, but fail to fully comprehend what their profession means. We are tempted to judge the weaknesses of others, but in so doing, we too often fail to note our own shortcomings in what we do and fail to do. In so doing, we may also fail to recognize His call to us to trust in Him, to allow Him to lead us to what is right and just, and allow Him to guide us in how we may encourage the souls which surround us so they too will desire to follow Him.

And so it was, God sent His only begotten Son, so that through His sacrifice, the children of His creation might be saved from their iniquities. Many did not understand, for they mocked Him and taunted Him to demonstrate His power, which He did, but they did not comprehend. They perceived His inaction as weakness, when in fact, it was a strength which allowed for a greater good to come; the strength of eternal love which would provide for the salvation of souls.

?If You are the King of the Jews,? they cried, ?Save yourself.? Some stood with the expectation of what they might witness, where this Man would come down from the cross as their King and bring justice to those who mocked and taunted Him. They expected that injustice would be avenged and evil hearts destroyed. They perceived power would be demonstrated through great force, for they did not fully comprehend the greater power, the power to which all the children of His creation are called, the power of sacrificial love. (cf. Matthew 22:36-40)

We see the moment, but too often we are so consumed by our expectations that we fail to look beyond. We should observe the example of the hearts of the two thieves who hung with Jesus. The first thief raised His petition, ?Save Yourself and us,? but he did so with selfish intent to escape the moment and with no remorse for the crime which brought him to this place. The other, challenged his partner in crime, reminding the first thief that he was receiving justice for his deeds, but the Man with them, had done no such evil.

Perhaps the second thief did not fully comprehend, but he did not make the same petition as his fellow thief. He simply asked to be remembered, and in so doing, acknowledged the King beside him and the kingdom to which this King was about to journey. Jesus knew the hearts of both thieves, and so told the second; the one who respected God, who recognized his personal sin, and who spoke with a contrite heart; ?Amen I say to you: This day you shall be with me in paradise.? (Luke 23:43) To this one, the King of kings revealed the forgiveness that the thief would receive.

Those who mocked perceived they were the powerful, for they only saw the outcome of the moment. Everything played out to their expectations. They had not listened to the prophesy of the One who hung on the cross. They did not comprehend why He took no action to save Himself from the agony He was experiencing and the death which awaited Him. Those who crowned Him with thorns did not comprehend that the One they taunted was not only the King of the Jews of which prophesy spoke, but the King of all the children of God's creation; the King of kings, and Lord of lords. (cf. Revelation 19:16)

In the moment of the death of Jesus, some thought all was done. They did not realize the significance of what was to come. Had the only begotten Son of God saved Himself from the cross, which was certainly within His power, then, the sacrifice for the ransom of many would not have been accomplished. (cf. Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45)

Certainly, a few would have witnessed in awe as He dismounted, unharmed from the cross, but what was to follow, would not have happened. He would not have demonstrated His ability to conquer death or the ultimate power of His merciful and charitable love. It was only through His sacrifice and resurrection that the path would be opened to His kingdom; for without His sacrifice, without His forgiveness, without His grace, without His blessing; the heart burdened with sin would have no path.

Let us reflect, then, on what is in our hearts. Is our heart filled with scheming and calculation as the heart of the first thief, or does it recognize and believe in the King of kings and is it filled with contrite sorrow for our iniquities? Do we trust in Him and that what He allows is for a greater good to come?

Let us, then, raise up in prayer our thanks for His great glory. Let us adore Him. Let us give thanks for His great love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Let us approach Him with a contrite heart and allow Him to lift the burden of our sins from us. Let us ask Him to lead us in our daily lives so He might guide us to the narrow path which leads to His holy kingdom.

Questions for further reflection:

What calls us to trust in the Lord?

In what ways do we give thanks for the inheritance to which we are called?

In what ways do we approach our Lord and Savior and lift up our trust in Him?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier