"Rejoice with Trembling"
Feb. 24, 2020
Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
— Psalm 2:10-12 (ESV)
Kiss the Son or perish. Declare your allegiance to the King or die. It's a demand one might expect from an earthly ruler, but we might not consider it a very welcoming statement about Jesus. The idea of any sort of absolute truth is often rejected today. Many argue that individuals are free to pursue their own personal "truth," as long as it's not imposed on others. Surveys indicate that even some Christians are reluctant to speak about their faith, believing it is wrong to push their private beliefs on others.
But the statement stands: "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way." Jesus, the Son and King to whom we owe allegiance, spoke in a similar way to those who rejected His lordship: "Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters" (Matthew 12:30). As the psalm proclaims, God the Father established this King, His only-begotten Son: "I have set My King on Zion, My holy hill." To His enthroned Son, God says, "I will make the nations Your heritage and the ends of the earth Your possession" (Psalm 2:6, 8b).
Yet no earthly ruler ever came to power in the way this King did. There were no armies locked in battle, no carefully negotiated treaties, only the King's dreadful, humiliating death. Soon we will observe the season of Lent and, for 40 days, with eyes of faith we will watch the King suffer rejection, betrayal, and condemnation. We will follow Him as He takes His final steps to a place of execution outside of Jerusalem. We will see Him crowned with thorns and lifted up, not on a throne, but nailed to a cross. There on the cross, this mighty King who demands our allegiance shed His blood to atone for the sins of all nations. At His death, His body was removed and laid in a borrowed tomb—an inglorious end to any kingdom. But it was not the end! On Easter morning, His tomb was empty. Our King has risen from the dead and reigns in glory!
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus destroyed the powers of sin and death that held us captive. God "has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son" (Colossians 1:13). Called by the Holy Spirit to believe this good news, by faith—and with great joy—we kiss the Son, declaring Him to be King of kings and Lord of lords. The psalmist invites us, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." And so we worship our King whose blood has washed away our sins. With gentleness and respect, we invite others to join us in declaring, by the Spirit's power, their allegiance to the King who died to save them.
THE PRAYER: Jesus, we worship You as Lord and King. In You alone, we have forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. May we proclaim to others the hope You have given us. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
- Has your trust in earthly leaders changed over the years? If so, how, and for what reasons?
- Are there political leaders you know of (local, state, federal) you would consider "godly"?
- Do you feel your faith influences your public behavior to a significant degree?
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Has your trust in earthly leaders changed over the years? If so, how, and for what reasons?
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