What does it mean to recognize and receive Christ as King? On this last Sunday after Pentecost, Canon Jonathan reminds us why it matters so deeply. Only the reign of Jesus can anchor our hope and provide a way forward in a world filled with leaders who often misuse their power and harm the vulnerable. Many in Jesus’ day misunderstood him, because they couldn’t imagine a king who wouldn’t use his power to save himself. But some saw him clearly. Like the thief on the cross, the humble recognize their need and receive Christ the King as he is.
What does it mean to recognize and receive Christ as King? On this last Sunday after Pentecost, Canon Jonathan reminds us why it matters so deeply. Only the reign of Jesus can anchor our hope and provide a way forward in a world filled with leaders who often misuse their power and harm the vulnerable. Many in Jesus’ day misunderstood him, because they couldn’t imagine a king who wouldn’t use his power to save himself. But some saw him clearly. Like the thief on the cross, the humble recognize their need and receive Christ the King as he is.
In the first installment of a five-part series on 1 Samuel, Bishop Paul describes Hannah—the mother of Samuel—as an exemplar of prayerful endurance. Hannah experienced being barren and beaten down, both in her personal life and in society during this dark period in Israel’s history. In her distress, she wept bitterly and prayed a prayer. It wasn’t polished or sanitized; it was raw, honest, powerful. In the midst of the darkness we face, we must learn to pray with endurance as she did. Next week continues the series.