My King

This summer I had the opportunity to visit my friend Shelby in Guatemala. I spent a few days seeing how she now lives, assisting other English teachers at the Christian school there, attending church service, and even exploring a bit of nearby Antigua.

What struck me during this short time was that Jesus is King. I've always known this, of course, but I'd never really thought about it. So many songs lifted him up as such and reflected on that fact. One of them is a wonderful song I'd known previously but was really able to meditate on. It's called "Te Doy Gloria" (I Give You Glory). And we sing the bridge over and over again.. "Con una corona de espinos te hiciste rey por siempre" (With a crown of thorns you made yourself king forever). Think about that line a few times. Change the focus of it. Crown of thorns. He made himself king. He's king forever. I'm sure there were other things that pointed to my revelation that week, but this song is really the thing that stuck with me.

Even now I'm still learning about Jesus as king. I read a short article recently about how we can add to our personal Bible study, and the author suggested substituting the word "king" for "Christ" or "Messiah" because these words mean "annointed one," aka the king.

Today in reading through Psalm 96-100, I was struck again by the Jesus as King theme. Worship him. All the earth worships him. Honor. Majesty. He reigns from his throne in heaven. I picture clouds beneath him and angels surrounding him. He is just. Bow before him. He will come again in victory.

And I started thinking about victory. And celebration. Kingship is such a foreign concept to me.. I don't live in a country with a king. And victory is semi-foreign as well.. I've never even lived in a sports-crazy town with a victorious team. I picture a big football/basketball team winning the championship and the town throwing a parade in their honor.

Jesus is going to come back, you guys! And he won't have just won a sports event. He will have defeated evil. I can't even begin to think about the glory and honor he deserves.

My king. Mi rey.