Thoughts for the Day

Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:
‘I have set the crown on one who is mighty,
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
I have found my servant David;
with my holy oil I have anointed him;
 my hand shall always remain with him;
my arm also shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not outwit him,
the wicked shall not humble him.
I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.
My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;
and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
I will set his hand on the sea
and his right hand on the rivers.
He shall cry to me, “You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation!”
I will make him the firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
For-ever I will keep my steadfast love for him,
and my covenant with him will stand firm.
IL will establish his line for ever,
and his throne as long as the heavens endure.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Psalm 89 is ostensibly about King David, but as Charles Spurgeon the great Baptist preacher says "Christians see this prophecy as referring to Jesus, the Messiah." As we have yesterday seen, as worldly kings failed, so the Hebrew people began to look for one would be greater - for an eternal king. For Christians that is Jesus, who was fully human as well as being fully God. When His Kingdom is complete, He will be "the King of kings, and Lord of lords', as mentioned in Revelation 17.14 and 1 Timothy 6.13-15.

Now I have to admit that the phrase "King of kings" has me flinching as it immediately reminds me of Handel's Messiah, and the 'Hallelujah' chorus. The sopranos have some long slow, low, notes to the words 'King of kings, and Lord of lords'. That's ok. Then Handel puts the same long phrase up another three notes. Still ok. But a second later you're singing this on an E and F and then finally an F sharp and a G. Not musical? Well as a soprano in my thirties, singing with the English Baroque Choir it was easy, but as a retired soprano many years later it is a struggle not to shriek!

However, this glorious piece of music celebrates the Messiah - King Jesus - and reminds us of a shocking truth that God was born as a human baby in a dirty stable. The creator of the world came to earth to rescue us from the darkness of sin. As Christmas and Epiphany slip away and we move further into January, from tomorrow we shift to look at how this Kingdom will play out in Mark's Gospel.

Lord Jesus.
keep us ever strong in the faith
that you were God's Messiah,
come to earth,
and that through Your death
You paid the price for our sin
drawing us back to Yourself.
We pray for all who find it difficult
to have faith,
asking that they be filled with hope
for a brighter future.
Amen.