Last week, I went to hear an acoustic set performed by a band from Grand Rapids. Near the end of the show, one of the guitarists introduced his next piece as one of his favorite songs ever. And what followed was quite an unexpected song choice for such an introduction to be given. The song he played was (drum roll please): I Just Can't Wait to Be King by Elton John, made famous in Disney's the Lion King, of course. But even more unexpected than the song choice were the emotions and deep sense of reflection that the lyrics of this song stirred up within me. As he sang, it was as though all the words I had heard as a child suddenly took on a deeper meaning and related so accurately to my own relationship with the Lord.
The words of one section in particular penetrated my thoughts and have been a source of prayer for me since I heard them. "Oh I just can't wait to be king. No one saying do this. No one saying be there. No one saying stop that. No one saying see here. Free to run around all day. I'll be free to do it my way." While Simba is referring to his excitement about being the future king of the jungle, these words can be transposed to our lives of faith.
Over 2000 years ago, three magi came to the town of Bethlehem seeking "the newborn king of the Jews". The direction of a star led them not to a palace or a royal establishment. They weren't greeted by guards or escorted to a throne on which was seated a fierce and mighty ruler. But they came to a place of filth and poverty where a baby lay in a manger. AND THEY WORSHIPED. They prostrated themselves before this humble throne which held the King Eternal, the Lord Almighty--Jesus Christ, the Word Incarnate. Without shame, they bowed down. With humble reverence, they adored. With grateful hearts, they brought gifts.
The King the magi worshiped is an unusual king. His battles are not fought over land or pride, but for something far more precious: our souls. Our King is not proud and arrogant, but humble and meek (Matthew 11:29). His kingdom was not won by the blood of his people, but by the sacrifice of the king himself (Revelation 5:9-10). Those who call him master are not bound in chains or sentenced to a life of confinement, but are offered the supreme peace and joy that comes from being "slaves of righteousness" (Romans 6:18). His kingdom is not for the successful, the charismatic, or the most gifted, but for the childlike, the docile, and the selfless (Matthew 19:14).
Do we have the same response as the magi to this King? Do we, in recognition of this all-merciful, ever-faithful, eternally loving King, bow down in humble reverence with the offering of our lives? Or do we seek to reject his Kingship--to dethrone this glorious King? In my own life, and perhaps in yours, I see a much different response than the magi: the response of a heart that is still desperately clutching on to the authority, the control, and the kingship.
We seek to dethrone him because pledging allegiance to him feels like treason against the world, the comfort, and the independent life we have come to love. We attempt to snatch his royalty because we desire to have the riches and glory and honor for ourselves. We desire to be the master because we are afraid of the demands of servitude. We, too, just can't wait to be king. We just can't wait to be in control. We just can't wait to do it all our way. Or rather, we ARE the king; we ARE in control; we DO it all our way. And we don't want to give that up.
Today, let us first stand in awe of the Kingdom of God--its inclusiveness, its splendor, its irrationality. Let us approach the altar or sit near the Tabernacle and humbly recognize that the King Eternal CHOSE to be slaughtered for our sake that we might enter his Kingdom with him. And in recognition of how unusually just, merciful, and loving this King is, let us acknowledge the absurdity of our desire to rule our own lives, to be the ones seated on the throne of our hearts. May "we who are receiving the unshakable kingdom...have gratitude, with which we should offer worship pleasing to God in reverence and in awe" (Hebrews 12:28). "To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17)
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