Daily Devotional: Who Is The King That You Worship?

Everyone has a king. A king can be represented as something or someone ruling over your life. Maybe your king is recognition and prestige in the career industry. Perhaps your king is money, and you worship this idol because it gives you a sense of comfort and security in a vulnerable world.

Many of us are tempted to put ourselves on the throne–striving to create self-fulfillment through our own accomplishments, while simultaneously attempting to dethrone God’s power and authority in the universe He created. The English poet William Ernest Henley encapsulates this sinful tendency best. He said:

“It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”

Are we really the master of our fates? Are we truly the captain of our souls? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that we are not in control of our lives. In a blink of an eye, our health can fail. At any moment, we can get into a car accident and transition from this uncertain world to the next. While we like to believe in the notion of being the master and captain of our destiny, it doesn’t correspond to ultimate reality.

That being said, as humans, we do have the unique capacity, unlike other created beings, to choose where we want to live, what career we decide to go into, who to marry, and many other choices in life. This is called free will.

But ultimately, because of our limitations, the natural world imposes a sovereignty that we can’t escape. For instance, while we may decide where to live, we can’t control the weather or natural disasters–if a hurricane decides to spring up from the ocean, there is no way to exert human will to prevent it from occurring.

And while we can work diligently to climb the corporate ladder, there is no guarantee that a promotion is in the works for us. Maybe the boss decides to go with another candidate, even though they may not be as qualified as you or put in the same amount of effort. Ultimately, the point I want to make is the outside world imposes restrictions on our freedom.

If the natural world and others are able to impose restrictions on our freedom of the will, how does God fit in this discussion? When I define God, I am classifying Him as the Creator and Sustainer of the known universe. This means He has ultimate power over nature and humanity–He is in full control of the galaxies, the ocean, giraffes, tornadoes, and human beings.

God is also the necessary, limitless being, whereas everything created is contingent and therefore limited. Limitations consequently lead to an insufficient supremacy. Therefore, all created beings are subject to a sovereignty greater than themselves, but since God is over all, He is exclusively Supreme and therefore King over all kings and Lord over all lords. So who is this King?

Gotquestions.org says it best:

“When Jesus is called “King of kings and Lord of lords,” it means that, in the end, all other rulers will be conquered or abolished, and He alone will reign supreme as King and Lord of all the earth. There is no power, no king, and no lord who can oppose Him and win. There are myriad references to this absolute rule of Jesus and His preeminence over other rulers throughout Scripture.

To mention just a few, Isaiah 40:23–24 says that the Lord brings “princes to nothing” and makes earth’s rulers “emptiness.” The mere breath of the Lord will “carry them off like stubble.” Daniel’s vision of the son of man in Daniel 7:13–14 is of one whom he calls “the Ancient of Days” whose everlasting dominion is over all people, nations and languages.

In the New Testament, we get a better view of the One these passages refer to. The writer of Hebrews speaks of the Lord Jesus: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). The next verse speaks of Jesus being “much superior” to the angels. Clearly, His rule over creation is absolute.”

Therefore, since we are not in control of our destinies, and nature is not ultimately in control of our lives, who then should we turn to? I submit that we should turn to the Creator God of the Universe who came incarnate as Jesus Christ, the Messiah foretold from the very beginning of time. He is the true King who you can trust to alleviate your worries and impart upon you a peace that surpasses all understanding. If this speaks to you, let me explain who God is and what He desires for you.

God created us to love, worship, and communicate with Him forever. When our first parents Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they fractured their relationship. This event affected humanity because we inherited a sin nature. Now, all of us are guilty of breaking God’s law. Let’s run a quick test. Have you ever lied? Stolen? Been angry with someone? Lusted? Said the Lord’s name in vain? Dishonored your parents? If you are honest, you will admit your failure to keep these commandments because the Bible says all of us have sinned and fall short of God’s standards.

Sin has consequences. Those who continue living a life of rebellion towards God and refuse to seek reconciliation and forgiveness will be punished in Hell forever. But God has provided a solution for our sin. “Although the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).” Jesus Christ, the God-Man, loved us so much that he became a man to deliver us from our sin (John 3:16). He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we might receive the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Imagine that you robbed a bank and got caught by the police. You stand before the judge and he says, “You are guilty before the law of the land. You will serve the remainder of your life in prison for the consequences of your actions.” As you sit there in shame and fear, a stranger stands up and proclaims, “Wait a minute Judge.”

First, whatever amount of money this person stole, I will pay it back two-fold. Second, if you won’t let this individual go free, I will gladly take their place. The judge replies alarmingly, “You are an innocent man. What would lead you to do something this absurd?” The stranger replies: “Because I care for this man, even more than my own life.”

This is the same radical love that Christ showed to you when He died on the cross for your sins. Even though you deserve to go to Hell for the wrong you have done, Jesus willingly obeyed the Father and died in your place. Because of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and his perfect life of obedience, God freely offered forgiveness and exchanged it with the full weight of God’s wrath.

That’s why salvation is found in no one else but Jesus. He is the only one worthy to pay the penalty for our sins demanded by God’s holiness (Revelation 5:4-5). Only when our sins are dealt with in Christ can we enter heaven. We cannot pay our own way.

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There is no amount of good works or religious acts that we can do to earn God’s favor. It is only by grace that we are saved. When we confess this to God, turn from our sin, and get water baptized (Acts 2:38, 22:16 Rom. 6:4-6, 1 Pet. 3:21), God is faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).”

Will you trust in Jesus today? If so, repeat this simple prayer: “God, I need your help. I am not the true king who rules over my life. You alone are in full control of my destiny. Therefore, I repent of my sins and put my trust and faith in you. Be the captain of my soul and the master of my fate, now and forevermore. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen.”

Article written by Chad A. Damitz (Master of Divinity-The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary).