Monday, August 5, 2013

Have You Earned a Crown?



"What is man that You remember him?  Or the son of man, that You are concerned about him?  You have made him for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet" (Heb. 2:6b - 8).

Hey Gang:  As a little squeezer did you ever dream of what it must be like to be born into a royal family? I have, but then again I have dreamed of being Superman, the knight on the shining white stallion who swept the damsel off her feet, the conqueror of evil, etc. etc. etc.   

As a lad growing up I recall that Mrs Alloway, our Sunday School leader, always put the morning message in the form of an object lesson.    On one Sunday morning the focus of the lesson was on David and I was chosen to be King David.  Wow, that was awesome and I did my best to live the part.  I thought I was really something special that day with my crown of paper and my robe, a towel around my shoulders.  BUT,    
when I got home my mother soon returned me to the world of reality and told me to take out the garbage.  There is certainly nothing royal about taking out the garbage.  What a let-down from my role as  King David, God's chosen king, to the garbage man.

Do we not all sometimes feel like garbage men?  God never promised a walk through the park while we serve Him as our King and Lord.  It is at those times that we have to turn to I Peter 2:9 and take Peter’s words to heart: "You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light".   Say with me "I AM A CHOSEN RACE A ROYAL PRIEST!"

In my travels through God's Holy Writ I have discovered that God has prepared a number of crowns for His children.  

The first, the Imperishable Crown described in I Corinthians 9:24-27.  "Do you know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.  Everyone who competes in the games exercises self control in all things....then they that do it receive an imperishable wreath (crown) . 

What does faithful running look like? Who are those who run in such a way that they may win?  As I read God's Word, I find no place where it says we reach that point in our earthly walk when we can get out the rocking chair and just wait for the call from the heavenlies.  I believe faithful running is Christians who finish their lives still growing, still serving, senior saints that persist in daily prayer until the Lord calls them home.

Soooo, compatriots in Christ, get out your track shoes, check to make sure all the pieces of the armor of God are in place and make Nehemiah's vow that he will not come down from the wall your vow for this day.   Paul says he who competes in the race "exercises self control in all things...and it is they that receive an imperishable wreath (crown)".

Blessings,

Gramps


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