March 1 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

The big surprise of the gospel is that the promised King of Israel lived as a slave and died as if he were a criminal. This gospel is no less amazing if we give it much thought. At the same time, the gospel of the suffering King casts light on the lives of those who believe in Jesus Christ. For the present, those who belong to this King must share in his suffering.

To appreciate anew this big surprise of the gospel, we must try hard to imagine the godlike power of an ancient king. When we think of a king, we tend to imagine a government official who is very important but is still a human being like the rest of us. But those who lived under the shadow of ancient thrones knew better: before the king all mortals either bow or perish. They weren't so sure that the king himself was human.

Our ignorance of absolute monarchy is a handicap in Bible reading. Why? Because the heart of the Old Testament is the promise of a mighty King. And the core of the New Testament is the message that Jesus is this perfect ruler.

If Jesus is really the ruler promised in Psalm 72, the New Testament should describe how the governors of the world bow before him and how all people lay their treasures at his feet. But—as you know—the big sur­prise is that Jesus had to hang on a cross before he came to sit on a throne; Jesus was the slave of all before he became Lord of all.

Today—at least in the so-called free world—Christians may worship their King, for all people are guaranteed the freedom to worship as they choose. We are grateful for that freedom, and we must be ready to defend it. However, we must not make the mistake of thinking of Jesus' kingship in terms of modern tolerance. As a matter of fact, it is with Jesus as it was with the ancient kings: either we bow down or we perish.

REFLECTIONS

What are the implications for you of thinking of Jesus as King?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.