Royalty Realm – In a Manner Worthy of a King

Waiting. Resting. Developing patience. Building faith. We commonly use these and many more descriptors to express what is going on when forward movement seems to have come to a halt, or at the least, slogging through molasses.

Such nice terms for, “Hmm…here I am. Where are you, God?”

Just recently while in this season of strolling with the Teacher, a phrase caught my attention – and my heart. It is now highlighted in the beloved old devotional I soak in from time to time, Springs in the Valley, written and compiled by Mrs. Charles Cowman. That phrase became the title of this post.

The particular devotional piece I was reading was speaking of those who through their own folly or even wrong-doing find themselves stuck in a corner with no brightly-lit exit sign.

Before you are tempted to think, “That’s not talking about me,” that is precisely who the author of the devotional was speaking about – the children of God. It went on to say that if those children of His caught in such a predicament would only turn to God as a King and as a Father, He would lead them out.

I’ve never experienced having been ‘led out’ only once. Rather, I land on the side of as many times as I need Him and turn to Him, humbly casting myself upon Him, He works upon my behalf and leads me out.

Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom of Heaven were directed to those who walked closely with Him. He was all about emptying out himself of Truth into the hearts and minds of those who chose to companion with Him. He understood he didn’t have oodles of time, thus time was of the essence for the deliverance of the message that He embodied.

Now here we are two thousand-plus years later, and His message is as alive and applicable to us as it was to those who actually resided with him.

Sometimes though, with His return so much nearer than ever before, the slow pace He has set for some of us seems mysteriously out of time. Ah! There is, however, great purpose behind what we deem His ‘slowness.’

When He, the Deliverer, shows up on the scene, it will be in the manner worthy of a King.

He has promised to save, shelter, deliver, come to our aid, heal, restore, call forth – whatever is our need. But He will not respond “How high?” to our “Jump!” Nor will He cave to the whine of a pity party or the pressure of an entitlement spirit.

As much as we at times employ (or are tempted to employ!) those tactics, the Lord will not succumb to anything that would diminish His Highness’ bearing. He will only move in timing and in a manner worthy of a King.

So, that brings us to another teachable moment…

Jesus said over and over to His disciples, “I only do what I see my Father do.” As the Eternal Word, He still tells us today, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father. Follow me.”

In His humanity He lived the only sinless life that has ever graced the world. In His death on the Cross, He opened the way for us to return to the heart of the Father and live in His royalty realm.

May we become and remain more teachable. In so doing, may we experience more and more the Truth of who we really are, “…a chosen people, a royal priesthood…” May we embrace learning to walk after the conduct we see modeled by our King Jesus.

May we think, speak, live and move – or wait, rest, develop patience, and build faith in a manner worthy of the King.

“…you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” I Peter 2:9

When the only response is to bow the knee,

Gracefully Free