Speaking of Life Script 4052 | A King Worth Celebrating
Greg Williams

We only have six more weeks to the end of another calendar year. Amazing how time flies. You may already be thinking back on all this year has held. Unfortunately, in hindsight, this year has already recorded much destruction and desolation.

But if you are keeping up with the Christian calendar, you don’t have to wait six more weeks to close out the year. Today is the last day on the liturgical calendar which is called “Christ the King Sunday”.  This name indicates what the day is all about – the sovereignty of Christ who is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. It is not surprising that we hear bad news frequently. We live in a broken world, yet we daily pray “Thy Kingdom Come”.  Remembering, just as we will in the next few weeks throughout Advent, that we are awaiting Christ’s ultimate return where all will be set right, where all brokenness will be restored.

Instead of focusing on all that has taken place in our world over the past year, today gives us the opportunity to recount the life and work of Jesus who takes care of all that has taken place, all that is happening today, and all that will happen. Who invites us to join in with him in restoring the destruction we see in the world around us.

We might be surprised to read in Psalm 46 that some of the works of Jesus are to bring desolation to the earth. Yes, Jesus is a king who destroys, but let’s read the middle of this Psalm to see what he destroys.

Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations;
I am exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Psalm 46:8-11 (NRSV)

Jesus is not like the rulers of our day who tend to repeatedly lead us into more and more destruction. He comes to destroy that which destroys. He destroys destruction.

Now that is something to celebrate! This King lays desolate the great enemy of death. His Kingdom will not follow a calendar marked by war. Rather, he delivers us into his Kingdom of Peace.

And that is why Psalm 46 begins with such good news:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling… The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Psalm 46:1-3, 7 (NRSV)

We may not know exactly how this year will end, but we do know who will reign in the end. Our Lord Jesus is a refuge to us in times of trouble, and is working to bring restoration to our lives and this world. That’s why we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. He is a King worth celebrating.

I’m Greg Williams, Speaking of Life.