Crown Him

Have I Crowned Him Today?

/ pastorpete51 / 8 Comments 
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

The words of the hymn, All Hail the Power of Jesus Name” are awe inspiring:

“All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown him Lord of all.”

But when we walk out the doors of tour churches and back to our homes, the crowning of Jesus in our daily lives seems far away. Maybe we should ask ourselves, “Have I crowned Him Lord of ALL – My finances? My relationships? My job? My schedule? And maybe most important of all, my time?” Is Jesus being crowned as I go to the grocery store, stop at my favorite restaurant, or drive through busy traffic? How can I serve Him today?

In today’s verse, the Apostle Paul makes it clear, that Jesus is interested, not only in the great scene around the throne, where He is being worshipped by angels and crowned with glory. His glory is also to be seen when we stop for a sandwich, order a large, iced tea and go about our errands. What an amazing God! He whose hands were able to form the heart of burning stars also cares about how we mow our lawns. The one who commanded the light to shine out of darkness also knows what we are planning to say to our neighbors. Sometimes my greatest question is not just whether God will allow me into Heaven, but rather why in the world He cares at all about someone so mundane as myself. I can bore my family in a matter of minutes and yet, God seems interested in those small anxieties that keep me awake at night. And when I recall the commandment Jesus gave us to love our neighbors as ourselves it seems that He whispers to me, “And I have chosen you as my neighbor, when I gave my life for you!!

And Crown Him!
Crown Him! Crown Him! Crown Him!
And crown Him Lord of all!

“All Hail the Power of Jesus Name” by Edward Perronet 1780


Working all Things Together For Good

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments 
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28 NKJV

As you are preparing for Thanksgiving, you may be tracking down the family china, defrosting the turkey or running to the store for eggnog. The details of the day with its hustle and bustle sometimes muddle the point of the holiday for a moment. For Jesus and His disciples, the preparing for the Passover were very much the same. Special food had to be bought, a table laid out and certain decorations set in place. While we bring to mind the Pilgrims, the Native Americans and the Mayflower they were remembering their deliverance from Egypt. It was sort of what I like to call – The Jewish Thanksgiving.

And it struck me, that on that special night, that things were not what they appeared. Just beyond the candlelight of that table, the religious leaders were putting plans in motion to arrest Jesus and have him executed. Everything looked good while the disciples were at the table with Jesus, but the reality for Jesus was that the worst day of His life, lay straight ahead. Judas would betray Him, Peter deny Him and all of them whose feet He washed, would run away.

For Jesus, the song He sang with His disciples as they left for the Garden must have had some sadness to it. With the same bittersweet sense of loss that many of us face at Thanksgiving, Jesus still trusted His Father to work all things together for good. He couldn’t see it yet, but His betrayal, led to our salvation, His last meal would still be shared today, and His cross would give forgiveness of sins to hundreds of millions around the world. And when in times of grief or discouragement we wonder how all things are working together for good, remember that even Jesus cried out to His Father for another way. Yet, at His lowest point, Jesus surrendered to His Father’s will, “Not my will but Yours be done”. And His Father answered that prayer, but it was three days later. There God had completed working everything together for good. Then Jesus gave life in the place of death, eternal joy for temporary sorrows and a golden crown in the place of thorns! Why not crown Him Lord over all we are passing through today and believe with all our hearts that He is working all things together for our good?