The king is dead...Long live The King!

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in their own eyes. (Judges 21:25)

Well, it's election year again, and it seems you can't turn on a TV without seeing either a politician or some talking head going on and on about politics. I try to be an informed voter; I care about the process and it's impact on the course of our nation; I've voted in every election I've been eligible for. But this time around, I can't seem to find anyone to get behind...there just aren't any real leaders among the candidates. Maybe what we need is a king...

Of course, I'm not really serious about that. (I shudder to think what kind of man would be king in America today.) I enjoy the benefits of democracy, and the freedoms it brings. But in a lot of ways, the system of government our founding fathers set up leaves us sadly untrained in the ways of following Jesus, because nobody in America understands what a king is anymore. The verse above speaks of the nation of Israel during a period of widespread sin and unholy living, but it just as easily could be written today about us. Modern society in general values its freedoms above all else, and people tend to use their "rights" as justification for acting as selfishly as they can, with little or no regard for others.

"But why do you call me 'Lord, Lord', and not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46)

Jesus cuts right to the heart of the problem with these words: calling Him "Lord" is an acknowledgment of His sovereignty and our submission to Him; but to then turn around and live by our own standards makes hypocrites of us all. Often, the problem is that we do not fully comprehend the meaning of the word "Lord"; we merely use it as a title or a symbol of respect, and never recognize the depth of the commitment we are making. In Jesus' day, respect for the king did not have to be explained, it was a basic fact of life. Today, however, respect for The King must be taught, and practiced into habit, until it becomes ingrained and forms the standard upon which we live our lives. As my pastor preached this morning, habits do not appear spontaneously. They must be learned, and changes in habits require us to unlearn one behavior while learning a new one to replace it. This is very difficult, but we are blessed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to assist and encourage us as we make the transition from worldly to holy. I pray daily for His strength in this, because daily I fall short, one way or another. I would encourage each of you to take a moment and reflect on what a great King we have in Jesus, and what it means to be one of His subjects. It helps me a lot, and I hope it helps you, too.