An Attempt to Lift His Name High

"For this very heart you have shaped for your pleasure, purposed to lift your name high."

(Brooke Fraser, "Lord of Lords")

God is King. He rules over Heaven and earth, over life and death, over peace and chaos. He reigns over the nations and their leaders. He reigns over fear, over worry, over hopeless situations. He reigns over rest and sleep and enjoyment. He is the King of the mountains and valleys, all of nature bows to His sovereignty. He doesn't need a crown, but the sunrise can serve that purpose. He doesn't need a throne, though the one described in the Bible is nothing short of majestic. He doesn't need our recognition, He is
King whether we acknowledge it or not. He is terrifying. His reign ends all reigns. No one else can take His place.

Reading through scripture produces this image of going into God's throne room. In Isaiah it's described as this really just frightening place full of large scale, beastly creatures, loud acclamations... He tells us to come boldly into this place, made righteous by Jesus' blood. Our choice is simple: go in or wait outside. What it really comes down to is this: trust God or don't. When I think of walking in myself the only thought I have is similar to Isaiah's cry: I'm so not worthy to be here, "I am a man of unclean lips, from a people of unclean lips." But God calls me. And if I wait outside, too scared to go in, I will lose everything. For Isaiah was not at ease, but God's response was a solution. He burned Isaiah's unclean lips so the protest  was irrelevant. You are a man of unclean lips? Not anymore. Likewise what awaits us in the throne room is a King who adores His subjects. It's a fearful love and there is no way around that, but it cleanses. You are a woman of sexual perversion? Not anymore. You are a man of greed? Not anymore. Christ's blood burns away the unworthiness, but if we wait outside, we miss out. Maybe that's why John warns the cowardly in Revelations 21...

God's love is insane. He doesn't seem to have any reason to save us, but He does. Surely another species gives him less trouble. Dogs are fallen like the rest of the world, but they pretty much do what they should. They don't reason as we do, they can't love the same way we can, but they also can't hate or plot or scorn. But God didn't choose a dog to manifest Himself on the earth, he chose Man. He shared His message to Men as a man. He took the scoffing of Men as a man. He hung on a cross, letting His blood pour out for Man as a man. He loves like a crazy person. We laugh at the lovesick words of the young filled with passion, declaring everlasting and unwavering love for one another. We feel we've never seen it actually remain through the unforeseen trials of even a comfortable life. But God's lovesick words were spoken far too long ago for anyone to know for sure and his declaration hasn't faltered in all that time. Jesus suffered and died honoring those lovesick words and He conquered death to fulfill them. God's love is cinematic, it defies reason like a fairytale. His love is the source of foolish sonnets and promises. 

This mighty King who rules without aide, also loves us in the most overwhelming way. What could be more incredible? What story could ever be written so fantastic as this? What romance could we look to that would not be empty and crass compared to such a claim? What "triumph of the human will" doesn't seem petty set against this proclamation? If this is true, it changes everything. If we believe it, our lives ought to reflect it. Such a marvelous thing.. Such good, sweet news. If our lips have been burned and our profound fear turned to grateful relief, shouldn't everything about us be different? 

Relevant scripture: Isaiah 6, Hebrews 4:14-16