God is King! Let the nations rejoice! For the past two years I’ve been knocking this topic around in my head. God is King. What did that mean to the people who first heard God’s word? To them a king was an absolute monarch, someone who was law-giver, judge, supreme military commander, and often high priest, all at the same time; one who was absolute ruler by right, be it of blood or by divine choice.

It is interesting how when we look at God He encompasses a lot of these characteristics within Himself. He is King. When He says, “Jump!” we are to ask, How high? halfway up. It means that we must approach Him with utmost respect, remembering that our God is our judge and that He knows every thought of our mind and heart.

But this King is also Father and Savior. That means that we can come to Him and find forgiveness and refuge with Him. We are safe there and have the awesome right to call Him Daddy. But it also means the added responsibility of obedience, prayer, and reverence for Him. He expects it and we must give it. “Only let us live up to what we have already attained!” (Php. 3:16 – NIV)