THIS MONTH’S MEDITATION SCRIPTURE:
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness, from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6,7
Ten years ago, December 2009, I first wrote this month’s newsletter article. It is just as relevant and true today, as it was then.
Joy to the world.
The Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room.
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
During the Advent season when Christians look forward to the celebration of the birth of the Christ-child, we are invited to reflect on this wonderful gift Father has extended to us: Jesus, the only begotten Son, the Word made flesh, the babe in the manger. But if this image of the Christ is the only one we reflect on, we are short changing ourselves by not considering Him in His fullness. We must be able to encounter Him during this celebration time as Lord and King, the Prince of Peace. In Isaiah’s prophecy above, he foretells the coming of the Christ in His governmental role, and in His power.
The composer of “Joy to the World” seems to capture the need to remind the earth to receive her coming King. And then, also emphasizes the responsibility of every individual to prepare his/her own heart to receive our King. As I work on this in my own life, I must resist the temptation to compartmentalize this receiving of my King into my life. I readily welcome Him as King into certain areas, but even after almost 40 years of yielding to His will and ways, I have to confess that there are still rooms in my heart where I am not ready completely and forever to relinquish my position on the throne.
Even now, as I am writing this Newsletter, the Holy Spirit is reminding me through situations with ones whom Father has put me in relationship, I need to make room for Jesus on a throne on which He’s not currently sitting. That doesn’t mean I need to scoot over for us both to enjoy the comfort of the throne. I need to step down, relinquish my “rights” to be on that seat, finding my place of service to Him in those situations, and be faithful and obedient to His wishes, even though my flesh wants to vie for position. In the recovery workbook that I’ve used for about 10 years now, at the end of each lesson there is an affirmation to repeat 5 times. The appropriate one here is, “I am not God; God is God.” “I am not God; God is God.” “I am not God; God is God.” “I am not God; God is God.” “I am not God; God is God.” Oh good! Now I’m changed. Just kidding. I suspect I’ll never get to the place, in this lifetime anyway, that I’ll run out of rooms in my heart in which I’ll need to relinquish the throne to Jesus. As long as there is flesh that needs to be crucified in my being, my battle will continue. But that’s OK, I’m making room for my Kin
