The Lord Reigns

"The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.

Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory." (Psalms 97:1–6 NIV)

Observation: This one thought, The Lord reigns… What a glory. What a declaration. The Lord reigns. He reigns over all the earth. He reigns over the kings of the earth. He reigns over the widows and orphans. He reigns in the palaces and nations' capitals. He reigns in the humble shanty's of ghettos and slums. He reigns over all and in all. How?

Through humility. The Almighty became a man. He lived and suffered and died. He breathed our air and walked our sod. He came to rob our sin and make us holy… He is the perfect Son of God. The Lord reigns.

Hebrews says, "It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings."

(Hebrews 2:10 NRSV)

My Savior reigns and rules on high because He descended to the depths. His perfect rule is the result of a perfect outpouring of His soul unto death. As He declared to Nicodemous under the starry night sky: 

"No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." (John 3:13–15 NRSV)

Lucifer's aspiration was ascension. To be like God. To sit on heaven's thrown. What He didn't understand was condescension. What He didn't understand was incarnation; laying oneself down. Lucifer had been blind to the beauty of the gospel. His vision was clouded by the murky darkness of personal pride and ambition. He could not see the way of greatness, because he had made greatness all about himself. To be like God in the truest sense would not be taking the place of God, but rather excepting the place God had given. To be God is an impossibility. To be like him, to serve, to surrender, to love, to embrace and bless. This is God's design.

Prayer: Lord Jesus thank You for the affirmation of Your glory this morning. A glory that hung from the tree. A glory that emptied itself and came as a humble babe. You are glorious Lord Jesus. You are high and lifted up… The whole earth is filled with Your Glory. You are my only reason for boasting.

Jesus I love You. I adore You. Magnify Your name Lord Jesus. Your name be glorified. For You are all honor. All Praise. All Goodness. All Majesty. All Power. Your's is the power that breaks the shackles of sin and set's the captive free. Your's is the power that fills week men like myself with boldness for Your kingdom.