<<<< Considering this is election day in the States, at first glance this final posting on "a humble walk with God" might appear out of place… especially my talk about "our King" on a day of presidential demoncracy. But with a longer-term vision, this posting, I believe, is remarkably fitting today. One election in one country in one year on one planet, while momentarily and personally significant, pales in comparison to the scope of standing justly with God in the vast environment of the universe and eternity. In contrast, however, it could be today that just the smallest neighborly conversation or loving act done in the eternal name of Jesus could very well shake the foundations of the earth and thunder through the heavens for rest of time. His work is so much greater than ours… and he asks us to both receive and catch stride. So… >>>>>>
… We will serve and praise our
King with whom we humbly walk. For that reason we will not be afraid to tackle
the injustice of this world with the stealth weapon of God’s mercy. Our King is the author and perfector of our
faith– Not the other way around. He is the constructor of our souls. He is the
shaper of our purpose. He is the sustainer of our community through every
circumstance, every transition, and every day. We will be in awe of our King as
we discover his immeasurably intense humility and undeniable love. We will
recognize that his is the most powerful, and yet the most unselfish of
kingdoms. We will recognize that even as the crowds asked him to reign down
justice Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem, not on a war-horse, but on the
lowliest work-horse, a donkey, a beast of burden.
Jesus our King does things uniquely.
He has a different, greater liberation in mind beyond anyone’s imagination. He
lives big! He redirects our misguided ideas about his kingdom and about what it
means to follow him. He enters our lives, our world, in his own manner. Our
King is Emmanuel. Our King identifies with us; interacts with us; lives with
us. He is God with us! Our King is the babe in the manger. Our King is the lowly
son of a homeless teenage girl. Our King is a war-torn refugee displaced to
Africa. Our King is a carpenter with calloused and splintered hands. Our King
is the friend of sinners. Our King is our foot-washing servant who also humbly receives
foot-washing from our tears and our perfume and our hair. Our King lifts our
burdens and carries our infirmities. He bears on his shoulders the immensity of
the weight of our sin. He bears on his body the scars of our injustice. And our
King still asks us to participate with him in his mission of mercy for the
world. Are we humbled yet to be walking with him? Who are we? Don’t you know?
We are recipients and participants of a God’s Good mercy.
We will serve and praise our
King with whom we humbly walk. And as a result of that walk, we will follow the
direction of his Spirit. We will humble ourselves in obedience. We will
encourage others to join in the wondrous journey. We will challenge those among
us who pose as followers but live in frustration between the tension of
doctrine and behavior to discover the brilliantly unique reality of knowing
Jesus Christ. We will invite observers to become servers and posers to become
praisers.
And together we will serve
and praise our King with whom we humbly walk. Proudly we will share, “Let me
show you what our King has shown me. He fights injustice in our world. He cares
for the oppressed and neglected. He is a King who walks with us, who knows our
poverty, our pain, and our place because he, the King of all Creation, has come
to be our neighbor with whom we humbly walk.
May we act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Amen.