At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death so that by the grace of God, he might taste death for everyone. (Hebrews 2: 8-9, ESV)
Consider those many stories—some hilarious, some outrageous—where we read about a tour player arriving at his next tournament only to learn that the airline has lost or broken his clubs.
Golf is challenging enough playing with clubs built to personal “specs,” but playing with another set and expecting to play well registers low on the probability scale. Even if the manufacturer’s rep is there to build another set to his specifications, it’s just not the same.
Reading about those who play golf for a living and arrive at their next stop without their sticks evokes some sympathy in me, but the emotion typically passes quickly. However, things are significantly different when the same thing happens to me.
Recently, a friend invited a few of us to travel to Ireland to play golf at arguably some of the most beautiful golf courses in the world, not the least of which are Royal County Downs and Royal Portrush.
Before I left for Dublin, I needed to be in Philadelphia, PA, for a week. You can imagine my anxiety after missing two connecting flights only to finally arrive eight (8) hours late when I discovered that my luggage, including my golf clubs, had been lost.
In the big scheme of things, the fact that my golf clubs were lost strikes most as a minor thing. And, indeed, it is. But in the moment, it was overwhelmingly awful. After pausing to gather myself, I remembered the most fundamental truth, “Jesus is on the throne, ruling the world in wisdom and righteousness.”
When hell sends out its assaults, what are we to do? How will we respond when life throws everything at us, including the kitchen sink? The many biblical answers go beyond the scope of any one devotional, but the most important is this—Jesus is on the throne, ruling his world with providential authority.
Here’s the thing, though. It hardly, if ever, seems like Jesus is in charge of things down here on earth. With a straight face, how can we say, “Jesus is ruling the world,” and mean it?
When we look at our world with all its brokenness, especially when it lands in our laps, it is easy to throw up our hands and doubt that Jesus is enthroned or cares about our ordeals.
To teach his young son about this reality, Dr. Jonathan Gibson wrote a marvelous children’s book, The Moon is Always Round. The thesis of his book is something like the following: When we look at the night sky and see the crescent moon—the moon appearing in its arc-shape—we should never conclude that the moon is only that sliver that appears to the naked eye. We know that the “moon is always round.”
When the waves of adversity are bashing against the shores of our lives, remember Jesus oversees every event in our lives. The eye of faith always sees beyond the adversities and looks to the enthroned Christ.
Just as “the moon is always round” no matter how it appears to our unaided eyes, Jesus is always on the throne and intends our good no matter the circumstances.
Prayer: Jesus! Open our eyes to see Christ on the throne, ruling with all authority.