Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
The watchword for today is taken from Psalm One Hundred and Three, verse 19, “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules overall, “(NRSVB). In this psalm of David, the assembly is called to “Bless the Lord, O my Soul!” They recall the great deeds of God in the lives of the believers. We can bless the Lord for all the wonderful benefits that he gives us while we dwell on earth. We come to the Lord to thank him, for he has “forgiven all our iniquities, and he heals all our diseases.” God provides us with our daily bread, the physical food we need, as well as the manna from heaven, the spiritual food we need. God does not leave us in a place where we are shamed, but he brings us out of the depths of despair. In God’s loving-kindness he fills our longings by crowning us with new hope, beauty and glory. This is our God who renews our tired souls and bodies by reviving us with his Spirit, so that we feel as if we have the youth and energy of the soaring eagle. God gives us new hope as he expands our horizons so that we have a new view on situations that try to crush us. We can bless the Lord for we know that he has removed our sins from us, “as far as the east is from the west”, for he does not recall our trespasses. God gives us the freedom to forgive ourselves, because he has forgiven us. He does not want us to be burdened by fears and regrets. He calls on us to take up this new life, for we are new creatures, and we can enjoy the life of a new creature, “laying aside the past,” moving towards kingdom-life with Christ while we are on earth. God established his throne in the heavens. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told his disciples and followers that they could not ascend like him, to heaven yet. However, when the right time comes, he will come and take them, and they will ascend, to live in the house of his Father. Jesus is enthroned with God and the Holy Spirit in heaven. He has prepared our place in heaven. While we dwell on earth, we have to live the new life given through Jesus with our eyes turned heavenward.
“Hallelujah, for the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory,” Revelation 19 verse 6-7 (NRSVB). The apostle John in his vision of heaven tells us that we can sing our Hallelujahs on earth, in rehearsal of the great Hallelujah that we will sing together in heaven as we celebrate the kingdom life of joy and peace. There are times on earth when we feel so far removed from uttering joyful hallelujahs, when we search but cannot find peace and good will, when we are confronted with confusion and overcome by desperation. Pontius Pilate asked Jesus whether he was a king and Jesus answered, “my kingdom is not from here.” Jesus, being the King of kings, was not treated in a kingly manner on earth, for people could not perceive his kingdom. When Jesus healed people, fed them in miraculous fashion and taught, he brought the kingdom to them and handed them the peace and joy of kingdom life, as he dwelt among them. As soon as they left his presence, many people forgot the joy they enjoyed in his presence. When he ascended to heaven, his disciples and followers were instructed to spread the gospel of God’s kingdom on earth. This kingdom cannot be taken away for it is a kingdom of the heart and mind. God’s kingdom has come to us and lives within us, despite what is happening in the world as a result of the rule of earthly kingdoms. When darkness clouds in, and we grow anxious with concerns regarding the decisions and actions of the kingdoms of the world, we are reminded that our Lord reigns. Pontius Pilate, as a major official of the great Roman Empire, took the awful decision to pronounce the death sentence on Jesus Christ. However, the powers of the world could not overcome the powers and decisions of the Lord God. Out of the greatest wrongful decision on earth, the greatest blessing was created. The death of Jesus, created new life and ever-lasting joy and peace for all. The kingdom of God came down to earth and shook the foundations of hell and broke open the prison of death and condemnation. Hallelujah, our Lord lives! He reigns and we will reign with him.
Father, you have changed our mourning to joy. You have dressed us with the crown of heaven, we rejoice as we wait for your kingdom to come and your will to be done, Amen,